


Dandelion Eyes

by sagegallows



Series: Dandelion Eyes [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, Blow Jobs, Cunnilingus, Curses, Dubious Consent, Explicit Sexual Content, Gentle Sex, Hand Jobs, Idiots in Love, M/M, Muteness, Oral Sex, Rough Sex, Semi-Public Sex, Sexual Slavery, Trans Dande | Leon, Trans Male Character, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, Wall Sex, minor religious undertones, this fic has it all, well raihan is moreso the idiot than leon but, you get the gist
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:08:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 35,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23989399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sagegallows/pseuds/sagegallows
Summary: King Raihan of Hammerlocke receives a coronation gift from Lord Rose of Postwick. Nothing goes as planned for either of them.
Relationships: Dande | Leon/Kibana | Raihan
Series: Dandelion Eyes [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1999429
Comments: 104
Kudos: 293





	1. ONE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If only young me had known that playing Pokemon Red for the first time would lead to this.
> 
> Also, important note: Leon is trans (FTM), uses he/him pronouns

The first thing Raihan noticed is his hair.

The second thing Raihan noticed were the chains around his wrists and ankles.

He narrowed his eyes at the young man—possibly a few years younger than he—taking in the long braided hair, slim figure hidden beneath tattered clothing, chained wrists and ankles, and his refusal to look up from the floor. “Who is this?” Raihan asked.

Lord Rose of Postwick wasted no time in answering, wrapping an arm around the man’s lean shoulders with a beaming smile on his face, like he was proud to present such a malnourished peasant to a king. “A servant, Your Majesty! His family called him Leon.” Lord Rose proclaimed. “I gift all esteemed kings and queens the finest servants Postwick has to offer, just ask any of your countrymen!”

“He speaks the truth, Sire.” Raihan’s assistant mumbled into his ear, both keeping their eyes on Lord Rose and the servant. “Lord Rose gifted your father a fine cook when he took the throne.” 

Raihan tilted his head, still feeling suspicious about the minor lord’s gift. “How did you procure this servant? And why is he in chains?”

“Just a precaution, Your Majesty!” Lord Rose answered with a large— _ fake _ —smile on his face. “He is the eldest son of a farming family leasing my land in Postwick. He came voluntarily. I would never force a man into servitude against his will.” Lord Rose seemed appalled at the idea, but Raihan wouldn’t put it past him to do that very thing. The young man in question said nothing, keeping his eyes on his bare, dirty feet. Raihan wondered if Lord Rose made the man walk from Postwick to Hammerlocke barefoot. Again, he wouldn’t put it past Lord Rose to do something like that. The minor lord had a reputation for not being the kindest of lords.

Raihan grit his teeth, wanting to ask more about Lord Rose and his servant, but he knew it would be rude to do so. Raihan was a newly appointed king in Galar, taking his father’s place as the King of Hammerlocke, and he had yet to earn the status of a king above politeness to smarmy lords like Lord Rose. After his coronation the previous day, gifts from royals and lords came pouring into his castle, though most royals sent a messenger in their place with the gift. For Lord Rose to appear himself with his gift meant he wanted something. Lord Rose of Postwick did nothing without his own benefit in mind. “What has the servant been trained to do?” Raihan asked. 

Lord Rose’s eyes sparkled as he displayed the young man like a prized Tauros. “He is suitable for any job in the castle! He was trained to be versatile and will aid you in whatever way you see fit. What you do with him is entirely up to you, Sire!” 

Raihan’s brows furrowed as he continued to question Lord Rose’s ethics. “Does the man not speak for himself?” he noticed the servant had yet to introduce himself to the king, as was customary when presenting oneself to royalty. 

Lord Rose’s smile twitched slightly, a crack in his enthusiastic mask. “Ah, alas, the poor boy was born mute.” he explained. “Not that it really matters, I suppose. He can understand orders well enough, and he’ll do whatever you ask of him.” 

“Can he read? Write?” Raihan asked, though he had a feeling of what the answer would be. Peasants in the rural areas, such as Postwick, did not receive the same education as the peasants in the kingdoms. But he had to know how far Lord Rose’s “generosity” went for the peasants in his land.

“He can read a few words necessary for being a servant, but he cannot write.” Lord Rose stated. Raihan’s questions were causing more cracks in his mask to appear. Raihan had to accept the gifts given to him during his coronation. It was tradition, which made his questions about the servant puzzling to all in the throne room.  _ Surely a newly crowned king would not be foolish enough to refuse a gift, no matter how shady the gift-giver was? _

“How does he communicate, then?” Raihan asked. “If he cannot speak, how would he let someone know if something was wrong?” Raihan had to admit that he enjoyed ruffling Lord Rose’s feathers, which was why he continued questioning his gift, but he also wanted to know more about the young man. Something about the man was off—something Raihan couldn’t pinpoint. 

Lord Rose laughed off the question, waving his hands dismissively. “I’m sure the boy has his ways. He’s been mute his entire life, I’m sure if something was wrong he would know how to communicate it.” Raihan noticed Rose would not look him in the eye as he spoke, as if he was hiding something.

Raihan sighed, realizing he would get nothing more from Lord Rose than the up-selling of his servant. “Very well. I thank you for the generous gift, Lord Rose of Postwick. You may remain in the castle as my guest until you are fit to return to your lands.” he nodded his head, as close to a bow as a king would give to someone of lesser status than him.

Lord Rose bowed deeply, a satisfied grin on his face. “Thank you, Your Majesty! I hope you will consider purchasing more servants from my lands should you be satisfied with my gift today.”  _ Ah, there it is. _ That was what Lord Rose wanted from him, a steady stream of income from the pockets of the King of Hammerlocke. Proper royalty etiquette dictated that Raihan could only purchase servants from one supplier, and now that Lord Rose had given him a servant, Raihan could only buy future servants from him from that point forward. King Kabu of Motostoke warned Raihan that Lord Rose was a greedy bastard willing to sell out his own people for a quick buck.

Raihan said nothing more to Lord Rose, ignoring the minor lord once his dealings with him were finished. Raihan turned to two guards within the throne room. “Take the servant to the servant quarters. I will visit him later to assess my property.” he stated, to which the two guards nodded before grabbing the young man by his arms, guiding him out of the throne room and into the servant’s quarters in the castle.

Raihan watched the young man leave, his eyes widening when the man slowly lifted his eyes to look at Raihan before his gaze returned to the floor. His eyes were a striking gold—a color Raihan had never seen before on a person—but the color alone wasn’t what surprised Raihan. The man looked broken. He did not have the subdued look of a man born to be a servant, but the look of a man who had stopped fighting and had accepted his doomed fate. Raihan grit his teeth as the man left the throne room, turning to look for Lord Rose to confront him about any abuse the servant might have faced, but the minor lord was gone. Raihan snarled. The greedy bastard got what he wanted and infiltrated his way into another king’s castle.

_ A greedy bastard indeed. _

ꭥꭥꭥꭥ

It wasn’t until much later in the evening that Raihan made his way to the servant quarters. Being a newly crowned king meant Raihan was constantly in meetings with dignitaries and getting adjusted to life as a king. He wasn’t the youngest crown royal in Galar—that title went to King Allister of Stow-on-Side—but he was much younger than the dignitaries he interacted with, and they had the tendency to treat him like a child rather than a king. They often patronized him, but were quick to squabble and apologize when Raihan would snarl at them, baring his fangs with an irritated expression on his face when his court would go too far. Raihan knew this would happen, his father prepared him for it during their lessons, and he knew eventually they would learn their place in his court and accept that he was in charge.

Raihan was starving, but he wanted to meet with his newly gained servant before the day was over. He wanted to make sure that the servant was free of diseases and was fit enough to work in his castle, but he also wanted to see if Lord Rose was lying about anything, such as the fact that he claimed the young man could not speak. Raihan had a feeling Lord Rose did something to keep the servant quiet, something unfitting of a lord no matter how smarmy they were. 

“Bring me the servant Lord Rose of Postwick gifted me.” Raihan demanded of the guards at the servant quarters. One guard nodded with a salute, heading into small living quarters reserved for the servants of Hammerlocke castle. Raihan looked to the other guard who remained at his post, though the guard was not allowed to make eye-contact with the king. “Have you heard the new servant speak at all?” he asked.

“No, Sire.” the guard answered firmly.

The servant walked through the doorway and into Raihan’s line of sight, the other guard guiding the servant with a hand on his back. The young man had been released from his shackles and dressed in typical servant’s clothing, and it looked like he had been washed, too. One corner of Raihan’s mouth turned up in a crooked smile. The young man already looked better than he had when Raihan first saw him. “Lord Rose said your name was Leon, correct?”

The young man nodded, though he kept his eyes to the ground. 

Raihan’s brows furrowed. “You can look at me, Leon. I’m giving you permission to.” He stated, wondering if Lord Rose obstructed Leon to never make eye contact with the king. Some kingdoms may abide by stricter laws, but Raihan was young and didn’t mind a bit of leniency. 

“May I check him for you, Sire?” Raihan’s assistant—who had been by his side the entire day—suggested, moving towards Leon. Raihan nodded once, watching Leon’s eyes as the assistant approached. He noticed the weariness in Leon’s eyes, but he stood still as the assistant examined him. 

Raihan’s assistant first poked and prodded at Leon’s limbs, feeling the weight and muscles in his arms. “He’s used to labor, it seems, most likely from being a farmer.” The assistant explained as he examined Leon, gently grasping his chin to examine his mouth. Leon’s gaze quickly flicked to Raihan’s as he parted his lips, opening his mouth so the assistant could see inside. Raihan wondered why Leon looked at him as he did it. “Standard oral health for a peasant; he could do with more frequent teeth-cleaning, though.” 

Raihan nodded in understanding, looking around the hallway to find a random servant passing by. “You there,” he called to a small servant girl, who jumped at Raihan’s voice but bowed to him. “ensure this servant has proper toiletries by his bunk.” He ordered, to which the servant girl nodded fiercely before skittering away. 

While Raihan was looking away, the assistant lifted Leon’s shirt to look for any markings of disease or sickness. When the assistant walked around Leon to examine his back, the assistant gasped quietly. “Oh my,” he breathed, gaining Raihan’s attention immediately.

“Is something wrong?” Raihan asked, stepping towards Leon. If Lord Rose gave Raihan a diseased servant intending to spread a sickness throughout the castle, it would surely be the end of Lord Rose’s friendliness with Hammerlocke. Many minor lords tried to assassinate kings and queens this way, usually at the behest of an enemy royal who wanted the throne for themselves. Raihan gritted his teeth. He knew he should have thrown Lord Rose out on his ass the moment he stepped in his castle. 

Raihan’s assistant cleared his throat, and Raihan noticed his cheeks were tinted pink as he examined Leon’s lower back. Raihan also noticed the two guards at the servant’s quarters were looking at Leon with renewed interest, a sparkle in their eye at what they saw. “Well, Sire,” the assistant began. “it seems that Lord Rose did not tell you the boy’s intended purpose.” He cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable.

Raihan’s eyes narrowed in confusion. “Lord Rose said he was suitable for any task.” He repeated Lord Rose’s words told to him earlier that day.

The assistant chuckled awkwardly, his entire face burning red now. “Ah, yes, but now I think he said that to be polite.” 

Raihan growled in frustration. “Speak plainly! What’s wrong with the man?”

The assistant jumped at Raihan’s growl, fidgeting his fingers together in nervousness. “Ah, well, perhaps… _ ahem _ , my boy? Will you please turn around for me?” The assistant asked Leon, and Leon followed the command by turning so his back was to Raihan. The assistant lifted Leon’s shirt enough to expose his tanned lower back. 

Raihan took a step back, his brows furrowed in confusion at the sight. A strange symbol was etched into Leon’s lower back, a symbol he had never seen before. He looked at his assistant quizzically. “So he has a tattoo? There’s nothing wrong with that.” The placement was presumptuous, but there was no law against getting tattoos in Hammerlocke. Raihan had a tattoo himself: a Rayquaza spiraled around his right bicep. 

Raihan’s assistant stuttered, sweat beading on his brow. “O-oh! I suppose you were never told about…” the assistant cleared his throat again. One guard smirked at the assistant’s flustered appearance. “Well, Sire, this is not something still practiced in Hammerlocke, but it is still done in many other kingdoms. It is…customary for servants to wear a brand showing what type of work they are suited for. The cooks will have a certain brand, the maids will have a certain brand—even the guards used to be branded to declare they were guards of a certain castle. I suppose Lord Rose did not know that Hammerlocke no longer brands its servants, because the boy has a brand.” 

“So, what’s his brand? And why are you so upset about it?” Raihan asked, getting impatient. 

The assistant looked at Leon, who kept his gaze to the floor, ignoring the pointed looks of the guards who knew what his brand meant. “Well, it seems…” the assistant let out a shaky exhale. “His brand shows he is a pleasure slave, My Lord.”

Raihan’s right eye twitched minutely. “A  _ what _ ?” He growled. 

“I-I suppose Lord Rose thought it would be rude to announce he was gifting you a pleasure slave, thus why he lied about what the boy could do. I…had I known, Your Grace, I would have never—”

“Who the fuck even  _ has  _ those anymore?” Raihan seethed, wanting to seek Lord Rose and rip his throat out. Pleasure slaves were no longer a thing in Hammerlocke or many other kingdoms. They were archaic, used as trophies by tyrannical kings to display their power. People who became pleasure slaves were often the spoils of war, forcefully taken from their lands to satisfy the king conquering them. Raihan snarled. For Lord Rose to even think—

“I truly am sorry, Sire.” Raihan’s assistant squeaked, his knees shaking at the sight of Raihan’s seething rage. “I…I suppose we could…send him back to Lord Rose. Perhaps if we explained Hammerlocke’s customs—”

Raihan, his assistant, and both guards at the servant’s quarters’ door looked to Leon, who had turned around to look at Raihan with pleading eyes, fiercely shaking his head from side to side. His long lavender hair was still in a braid, but some strands escaped as he shook his head. He clasped his hands together in prayer, looking at Raihan with desperation. 

He looked terrified.

Raihan’s expression softened at the sight, though it did nothing to quell his anger for Lord Rose. “He’s terrified of him.” Raihan breathed, stepping close to Leon, noticing that he was shaking in fear. “What did that man do to you?” Raihan murmured, though he knew he wouldn’t get an answer. Raihan sighed, placing a hand on Leon’s shoulder, looking to his assistant. “We can’t take him back to Lord Rose. Look at him.” He gestured to Leon’s pitiful face, his eyes filled with fear. 

The assistant sighed, agreeing with Raihan. “I suppose not, but…although he is physically fit, if he was branded as a pleasure slave, then I doubt he was taught much in the ways of servitude.” He explained. “I’m not sure what he could do in the castle.”

Raihan turned to Leon, his large golden eyes looking back at him pleadingly, begging Raihan not to send him back to Lord Rose. Raihan slumped his shoulders, sighing once more. “Keep him in the servant’s quarters for now. I’ll decide what to do with him later.” He stated, and the guards moved to take Leon back into the servant’s quarters. Leon looked relieved, but the guards still had interested looks directed at Leon. Raihan narrowed his eyes at them. “And make sure nothing happens to him, or else you’re both dead.” He warned, and both guards saluted firmly with fear in their eyes. Raihan wasn’t one to make empty threats, and they knew it. 

Raihan sighed once Leon was gone, looking at his assistant. “Send a letter to Lord Rose telling him he is not welcome to Hammerlocke unless by invitation from now on. Damned if I care what he says about that.” He spoke through gritted teeth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! <3
> 
> Come be my friend on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/sagegallows)!


	2. TWO

It was early in the morning, and Raihan had a restless night. He couldn’t get his mind off of Leon, the pleasure slave Lord Rose of Postwick gave him. It upset him that Lord Rose even  _ had  _ those kinds of servants at his disposal, and it made him want to contact his fellow kings and queens to see what could be done about it. But alas, in Galar, tradition was tradition. If Raihan tried to punish Lord Rose or give back his gift, his hands would be bound in the red tape that had a firm hold on Galar’s customs. Lord Rose not only owned land in Postwick, but he was a provider of servants and laborers, and for Raihan to demean Lord Rose’s profession would look bad for the newly crowned king.

Raihan sighed in frustration, running a hand through his locs as he walked through the back entrance of the castle and into the mountain trails. Hammerlocke was nestled within the large mountainside of Galar, the mountains providing natural protection from enemy kingdoms and proving Hammerlocke’s status as a powerful kingdom in the region. Within the mountains dwelled dragons, ferocious beasts that struck fear in the citizens of Galar for centuries, but thankfully they could be tamed. The royal family of Hammerlocke were gifted dragon tamers, able to settle the most feral of dragons to protect the citizens of Hammerlocke. As a royal himself, Raihan had the ability to tame dragons, though his method differed from his predecessors. He had the gift of befriending the dragons, able to earn their trust and gain their promise to protect the kingdom through ethical means. Raihan wasn’t sure if dragons could love, but they enjoyed having him around, which was why he went into the mountains that morning.

Most of the dragons kept to themselves, hiding within the mountain caves or the dense forests, but some younger dragons enjoyed interacting with Raihan. The moment Raihan stepped foot into the thick forests of the mountains the youngest dragon, Charizard, appeared through the brush, greeting Raihan with an excited “ _ Char _ !”

Raihan smiled at Charizard, opening his arms for the massive dragon as he approached. “Hey, buddy.” Raihan chuckled as Charizard nuzzled his face against Raihan’s neck, a low pur of content bubbling in his throat. “You’re just the dragon I wanted to see.” Charizard chirruped at that, his tongue lolling out of his mouth in happiness. Charizard stretched out his large wings and arms, indicating he had just woken up. “Sorry, buddy, didn’t mean to wake you.” Raihan apologized, a content smile on his face.

Charizard leapt from Raihan’s embrace, a playful expression on his face. He didn’t have many other young dragons to play with, so Charizard was always happy to see Raihan. When Charizard noticed how Raihan’s smile didn’t reach his eyes, however, Charizard chirruped in question, tilting his head to the side in confusion.

Raihan smiled sadly at Charizard, stroking the top of one massive wing. “Such an intuitive one you are, Char.” Raihan complimented, to which Charizard beamed with pride. Raihan walked over to a fallen log before plopping down on it. Charizard followed behind, sitting on the ground in front of Raihan. Raihan rested his elbows on his knees, looking into Charizard’s inquisitive eyes. “You know I was crowned king, right?” Raihan asked, to which Charizard nodded happily. “Well, I’ve been getting gifts from all over the region to celebrate my ascension to the throne, and…” Raihan sighed, placing his head in his hands. “One of those pretentious lords from the rural areas sent me a  _ pleasure slave _ . Like someone to be in my  _ harem _ .” Raihan shuddered at the thought. Harems weren’t as common as they used to be in Galar, and they still existed in some kingdoms, but Raihan was far from interested in having one for himself. “And I can’t give him back because, Char, you should’ve seen the look on his face when I even suggested it. He’s terrified of Lord Rose, and, honestly, I don’t think he was made into a servant voluntarily.” Raihan huffed in frustration.

Charizard growled, his lips snarling at the sight of his master looking so upset. Raihan smiled to himself, looking up at Charizard as he rested his chin on the palm of his hand. “It’s alright, buddy, I’ll be okay. I’m just…” Raihan’s brows furrowed. “I just wish I could ask him about it, but he can’t speak. Lord Rose said he was born mute, but I don’t know what I can or can’t believe from that guy.” Raihan breathed out a laugh, chuckling to himself at his predicament. “I thought my first problems after taking the throne would be dealing with the other kingdoms and making them respect me. I definitely didn’t think my biggest worry would be over a cute pleasure slave.” Raihan spoke, to which Charizard did his best impersonation of a smirk. Raihan rolled his eyes. “Yes, I think he’s cute. You should see him, Char, he’s like…really gorgeous. He’s got long hair that looks really soft, his skin is fucking flawless, and he’s got these beautiful golden eyes that look like—”

“King Raihan! King Raihan!” a voice called from the back entrance of the castle, a voice Raihan recognized as his assistant’s.

Raihan’s brows furrowed as he stood from the fallen log he was sitting on. “What’s gotten into him?” he asked himself, turning to look at Charizard. “You wanna come with me, buddy?” he asked, feeling guilty that he didn’t get to play with Charizard like the dragon wanted him to. 

Charizard’s face lit up at the suggestion. He was one of the tamer dragons in the mountains and enjoyed being around people, especially if Raihan was with him. Charizard squatted his powerful hind legs, indicating for Raihan to ride him back to the castle. Raihan smiled, knowing he would be a fool to refuse riding on the back of a dragon.

Raihan’s assistant visibly paled at the sight of Charizard flying to the back entrance of the castle, his body stiffening at the sight of the massive dragon. When Raihan leapt off Charizard’s back, however, his assistant wasted no time in getting Raihan’s attention. “Sire, come quick! It is the servant, the one Lord Rose gifted you!”

Raihan stilled, a feeling of dread washing over him. His first thought went to the guards at the servant’s quarters, the ones leering at Leon like he was a fine piece of meat and they were starving animals. Rage flashed through his teal-colored eyes. “What happened?” he asked, his voice low.

“No one can find him!” the assistant exclaimed, a panicked look on his face as he squabbled around Raihan. “A guard went into his rooms to check on him this morning and he was gone! Everyone has been looking for him, but he’s nowhere to be found!” 

Raihan narrowed his eyes, looking through the doorway of the castle and into the gilded halls. He could see some servants scurrying about, looking into each room they passed. Raihan grit his teeth, wondering if the guards—or worse, Lord Rose—had anything to do with Leon’s disappearance. “I’ll go find him.” Raihan growled, glancing back at Charizard. “Come with me, buddy, your tracking skills are better than mine.” he ordered, to which Charizard happily trailed behind Raihan into the castle, his nose sniffing the air for anything suspicious.

ꭥꭥꭥꭥ

“There are guards at every entrance in this place.” Raihan muttered to himself. “How could he have gotten away with no one noticing?” 

The search for Leon continued well into the day with no luck. Raihan and Charizard scoured the castle, searching in every room and nook and cranny for the servant from Postwick. The young man seemed to disappear into thin air, for no one could make heads or tails of where he could have gone. Raihan’s assistant suggested searching outside of the castle, and some guards were searching for signs of Lord Rose to see if he had anything to do with Leon’s disappearance. Had it been any other servant who disappeared, there wouldn’t have been a castle-wide search for them, but since this was a servant given to a Raihan as a coronation present, he had to take precaution to make sure word didn’t get out that the new King of Hammerlocke lost his gifts. 

“This is ridiculous.” Raihan grumbled, and Charizard huffed out a puff of smoke behind him, trailing any unfamiliar scent he picked up. “He should’ve been trained to be a spy with these stealth skills.” 

Raihan rounded a corner, searching the royal wing of the castle—the section of the castle dedicated to the royal family and forbidden to anyone not directly associated with them. Raihan was by himself in the royal wing, but that would change once he married a princess and had children, but for now the royal wing was empty save for the lonely bedchamber for the king. One room no one went in anymore was the royal family library, full of books containing family trees and various heirlooms spread about. Raihan wasn’t one for antiquity, and so the only people who went in the library were maids who kept the library from getting too dusty. 

Raihan glanced at the closed door of the library, seeing nothing out of the ordinary as he passed by. Charizard, however, immediately stopped at the door, leaning his head down to sniff at the bottom of the door. Raihan turned to see what got Charizard’s attention, and it was then that he noticed the door was open ever so slightly, the crack in the door illuminated by a soft orange glow from inside. 

Raihan slowly opened the door, peering inside with curious eyes, Charizard looming behind him. Raihan took in the shelves upon shelves of books, scrolls strewn about on the floor, and various pictures of past kings and weapons and armor mounted on the walls. Raihan then saw a chair with the back turned to the door, and, just over the back of the chair, Raihan spotted lavender-colored hair. 

Raihan rushed inside the library, relieved at the sight of Leon. “Leon,” he breathed, to which Leon jumped in surprise, looking over his chair with wide eyes at Raihan. Leon’s eyes grew even wider once he saw Charizard. “Have you been here this whole time?” Raihan asked, exasperated.

Leon at least had the decency to look guilty, a sheepish expression on his face as he nodded, looking down at his lap. Raihan followed Leon’s gaze, seeing an old book of portraits of Raihan’s ancestors. 

“What were you doing? Why didn’t you let anyone know where you were?” Raihan asked, forcing himself to keep his temper down. He wasn’t angry at Leon, but he was frustrated by the wild goose chase Leon sent him on. “I’ve been looking for you all day.” He admitted.

Leon bit his lip, and Raihan forced himself from staring at the plump lower lip caught between Leon’s teeth. By Arceus, he was gorgeous. Leon looked like he wanted to say something, possibly  _ “I’m sorry,” _ but he couldn’t. He absently toyed with the edges of the book between his fingers, a guilt-stricken expression on his face, his big golden eyes looking up at Raihan in apology. 

Raihan sighed, running a hand through his locs. Leon tracked the movement. “It’s fine, just tell someone you’re gonna go exploring next time, okay?” He asked, to which Leon nodded in understanding. Raihan took in the surrounding library, gazing up at the high bookshelves that nearly touched the ceiling. “Haven’t been in here in ages.” He murmured. “My dad used to bring me in here to tell me about our ancestors. He used to tell me that these are the legacies I’ll have to live up to.” He wandered around as he spoke, noting a sword and shield mounted on the wall. He heard Leon stand and approach him, and he could feel Leon close behind him. Raihan pointed to the sword and shield. “Those belonged to the first King of Hammerlocke. The mountains were uninhabitable because of the dragons, but he tamed them enough to become our protectors.” 

Charizard huffed nearby, alerting Leon to his presence. Raihan laughed as Leon pressed himself into Raihan’s back, gripping his clothes tightly in his hands. “It’s alright, Charizard’s real friendly. Right, buddy?” Raihan asked, to which Charizard huffed again in reply, his tail slowly swinging behind him. “Don’t worry about him, he won’t hurt you.” Raihan patted Leon’s arm reassuringly, noting how pretty Leon was up-close. Leon kept his eyes on Charizard, wide and full of fear, but Raihan kept his gaze on Leon. He had long lashes around his golden eyes, a faint reddish tint to his cheeks, and his plump lips were slightly wet from where he licked them. He was beautiful, painfully so. Raihan hated the very idea of it, but he could see why Lord Rose chose the pleasure slave option for Leon. 

“Sire, is everything alright?” Raihan’s assistant walked into the library, eyes wide as he took in the sight of a room even he wasn’t allowed in. “I heard a noise and—” the assistant spotted Raihan and Leon, a relieved look overtaking his face. “Ah, wonderful! You’ve found the boy.” Then his face turned stern as he examined Leon. “We’ve been looking for you all day, young man! You have no right to send the king on tedious quests like that!”

Raihan smirked at Leon’s bashful expression, Leon tightening his grip on Raihan’s clothes. Raihan patted Leon’s arm again. “It’s alright, no harm done. He just wanted to explore the castle, is all.” Raihan shrugged dismissively. “I don’t blame him. Few peasants get to see the inside of a castle, much less one like this.”

“I suppose you’re right, Sire.” Raihan’s assistant agreed. “In the meantime, you have much to catch up on today.” He stated. “What shall you have me do with the servant?” 

Raihan shrugged. “Can’t you take him back to the servant’s quarters?” 

The assistant flinched, glancing at Leon before turning his gaze back to Raihan, looking flustered. “Ah, I meant to speak with you about that….” he trailed. “Although you are against the boy’s profession, there are… _ expectations _ for a boy such as he. Word has already gotten out of what he is meant to do, and I don’t think it’s wise to keep him in the servant’s quarters any longer.”

Raihan narrowed his eyes, hearing the unspoken message his assistant was trying to get across. “You think the servants will mistreat him because of the brand?” It wasn’t an uncommon occurrence, though it bothered Raihan to think even peasants had a strict hierarchy. Castle servants tended to be clique-ish and often ostracized other servants based on their duties in the castle. Raihan hoped that no one would find out about Leon’s brand marking him as a pleasure slave, but it looked like that hope went right out the window. 

The assistant nodded solemnly. “It is a terrible thing to think about, but yes. I don’t think it’s wise to keep him there if you wish to keep him safe.” He suggested. 

“Then where do you suggest I keep him?” Raihan asked, feeling awkward talking about Leon like he wasn’t there, like he wasn’t still gripping his clothes and so close to him Raihan could feel his warmth. 

“Well…” the assistant trailed, looking very uncomfortable. “It is typical,  _ expected _ , even, of a pleasure slave to remain in the royal suites. As a…bed warmer, if you will. I know that is very crude, but—”

“Very well.” Raihan said firmly.

The assistant (and Leon) was clearly surprised, his eyes wide. “I—are you certain, My Lord?” He stuttered.

Raihan’s heart was pounding in his chest, hoping Leon didn’t see the panic in his eyes. “I won’t have him being mistreated by the other servants. If he is expected to stay in my room, then so be it.” He tried to keep his voice from shaking as he spoke. Would he  _ really _ be able to sleep in the same room as Leon? May Arceus bless him with enough self-restraint to keep him from acting like a fool. “Have one of the beds in the guest wing taken to my rooms, he can sleep in the lounge area if he pleases.” Raihan then looked to Leon, meeting those wide golden eyes. “Would that be alright with you, Leon?”

Leon nodded, and Raihan tried not to notice the uncertainty in those beautiful golden eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! <3
> 
> Come be my friend on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/sagegallows)!


	3. THREE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The only reason why I added the "dub-con" tag is because Leon can't verbally consent and it's unknown (at the moment) whether he is consenting because of his feelings for Raihan or if he's just doing this job. Although I tried to make it was consensual as possible, I added the tag just in case.

Night came much too quickly for Raihan’s liking.

A bed from one of the guestrooms in the guest wing was transferred to Raihan’s bedchambers in the royal wing, settled nicely in the lounge's corner area of his suite, right by the hearth. Winter months were approaching Hammerlocke, and servants had already started a fire, illuminating the lounge area in warm shades of orange. When Raihan retired for the night Leon was there, sitting on a couch by the fire, cocooned in a thick blanket. 

“Good evening, Leon.” Raihan announced as he entered his bedchambers, startling Leon by his sudden presence. Raihan smiled warmly. “Sorry, didn’t mean to surprise you.” Leon smiled back, and Raihan noticed how his eyes seemed to glow from the light of the fire. Leon patted the space next to him on the couch, gesturing for Raihan to sit with him. As much as Raihan desperately wished to plop down on the comfy couch after the tiring day he had, he had to sigh with a shake of his head. “Sorry, I really have to wash up. I’m exhausted.” he apologized, making his way over to the baths in his bedchambers.

Leon watched with intense eyes, and Raihan could feel his eyes boring into his back as he entered the baths. 

The chambermaids had already drawn a bath for Raihan, the water steaming within the large pool built in the ground. The rocks surrounding the pool were made from mountain rocks that held heat, keeping the water warm longer than it normally would. Raihan gently shut the door behind him, something he normally didn’t do, but he wanted to keep some decency between him and Leon. Raihan stripped off his heavy coat, wishing he was still allowed to wear the light materials that he wore before he took the throne, stretching his tense limbs, smiling in satisfaction as he could finally relax. After running around like a chicken with its head cut off while looking for Leon, Raihan sat in endless meetings with his court and other dignitaries about everything pertaining to Hammerlocke and its alliances with other kingdoms. A nice, hot bath was exactly what Raihan needed to put an end to this troublesome day.

“ _ Ahh… _ ” Raihan sighed as he slipped into the hot bath, the warm water doing wonders for his aching muscles after subconsciously tensing his shoulders throughout the day from the stupid things his court would say to him. He hated how they treated him as if he didn’t know how to run a kingdom. He may be young, but he wasn’t an idiot. Raihan shook away those thoughts, swimming into the center of the pool, the water coming up to his shoulders. The center of the pool was too deep for others to comfortably stand in, but Raihan was tall enough to where he could stand up straight and still be surrounded by soothing water. He waded in the pool for a while before washing, wanting to enjoy his few moments of peace.

A sound from behind alerted his attention. No one ever came into the baths when Raihan was in there, not unless they wanted to deal with an irritated king. He turned to the direction of the noise, his eyes widening when he saw Leon standing there, with Leon looking just as shocked as he was. “Leon?” he asked.

Leon blushed, looking away from Raihan and biting his lip. He slowly lifted a wooden brush, silently explaining why he entered the baths. Raihan noticed a bar of soap in his other hand.

Raihan narrowed his eyes.  _ Probably part of his “duties.” _ Raihan shook his head. “I appreciate the thought, Leon, but you don’t have to. I can wash myself.” he explained, grateful that the water was thick with aroma oils, keeping it cloudy enough that his nude body wasn’t exposed to Leon through the water. 

Leon’s brows furrowed, taking a tentative step forward. Determination replaced his bashfulness, silently asking Raihan again by holding up the brush. Raihan sighed, familiar with that look of determination. He often had that same look on his face, and he knew Leon wouldn’t back down. If he was trained as a servant, it probably confused him why Raihan wasn’t actually  _ using  _ him for the work he was there for. Raihan waded to the edge of the pool, turning his back to Leon. “Alright, get in.”

He heard the soft sounds of clothes hitting the floor, and it was then he realized that Leon would be naked. His jaw clenched. He wasn’t sure if he could control his body from reacting to having a naked Leon so close to him, washing him,  _ touching  _ him. He listened with tense shoulders as Leon entered the pool; the water lapped his back with Leon’s movements. He anticipated Leon touching him, but he truly wasn’t prepared for when it actually happened.

He held back a flinch as Leon’s hands touched his shoulders, lathered with soap. Leon’s grip tightened on Raihan’s shoulders, feeling how tense they were. Raihan choked out a nervous laugh. “I know I’m tense, sorry, just…had a rough day today, is all.” he lied. Leon said nothing—or rather, he  _ couldn’t  _ say anything—as he ran his hands up and down Raihan’s shoulders, his fingers taking in the expanse of his broad shoulders and tense muscles. He gently prodded at tense spots, slowly massaging the muscle there. When he reached the back of Raihan’s neck, squeezing the tightness there, Raihan sighed and closed his eyes. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that you’re good at this.” he breathed. 

Leon silently worked his way through Raihan’s upper body, massaging and relaxing his shoulders and arms until Raihan was putty in his hands. Raihan couldn’t remember the last time his body felt so relaxed, his eyes shut in bliss and his lips parted, letting out sighs and quiet moans when Leon would hit a sore spot. Leon lifted Raihan’s hands out of the water, digging into his palms that had grown sore from hours of writing, tangling their fingers together as Leon squeezed them in his hands. Without Raihan realizing it, he leaned back into Leon’s chest, bringing their bodies together. Raihan tilted his head back to rest on Leon’s shoulder, and Leon’s hands slipped into the water to reach Raihan’s front.

Raihan knew he was hard—had been since the moment Leon started his massage—but he was too far gone, his vision hazy and his mind clouded, to react to it. He only felt the gentle sensation of Leon’s hands on his chest, his stomach, and his hips before Raihan’s eyes snapped open when Leon loosely gripped his cock. Raihan leapt out of Leon’s embrace, darting through the water and into the center of the pool where Leon couldn’t stand, turning to face Leon with wide eyes. “L-Leon!” he stumbled. “You don’t…you really don’t have to—”

Raihan stopped at the sight of Leon. He looked upset, his eyes wide and his brows furrowed and his mouth down-turned in a frown. He looked like he just witnessed a Yamper being kicked in the face. Raihan knew that look; the look of rejection, like Leon wasn’t good enough for him. Raihan tensed at the sight, not wishing to make Leon upset. “I’m sorry,” he apologized. “it’s just…” he trailed, wondering how to put his thoughts into words. “You…you’re not just a means for my pleasure, Leon. I won’t…use you like that.” Leon’s brows knitted in confusion, shaking his head, long strands of lavender hair twirling in the water as he moved. Raihan tilted his head in equal amounts of confusion. “Leon, I will not take advantage of you like that. I know you were… _ trained _ …to do those kinds of things, but—”

Leon shook his head again, pushing off the side of the pool to swim further in, gripping Raihan’s hands in his to keep him afloat. Leon’s eyes were filled with determination, those bright golden eyes boring into Raihan’s own teal ones. Before Raihan could react, his body stiffened in shock as Leon surged forward, bringing their lips together. Leon gripped the back of Raihan’s neck with one hand and used his free hand to wrap his arm around his shoulder, bringing their bodies flush together as Leon floated and Raihan stood in the pool. Raihan’s eyes stayed open in shock, both from the sudden kiss and from how desperately Leon was pushing their bodies together, their hips flush against one another, Raihan’s cock trapped between their stomachs. Raihan gripped Leon’s arms, pulling him away, their lips parting with a soft smack. Leon’s eyes still held determination, but they were also hazy with want, with lust.

“You…” Raihan trailed, glancing down at Leon’s body through the water, unable to see through the soaps and oils to see Leon’s slim, toned body. “I’m not going to do this unless you want it.” he spoke firmly, his eyes locking on Leon’s.

Leon nodded affirmatively, pushing through Raihan’s grip to get closer to him again. Raihan allowed it, his body thrumming with desire for Leon to touch him, to want him. Leon’s lips were so full, so soft against his own, sliding together as their tongues teasingly licked each other’s lips and mouths. Raihan held a firm grip around Leon’s waist, their bodies pressed close together, Raihan’s hard cock rubbing against the soft, firm skin of Leon’s stomach. Raihan wished he could feel Leon’s desire between his legs, feel the wet folds on his fingers, on his mouth, and on his cock. Raihan groaned in satisfaction when Leon’s tongue slid against his own, Leon’s blunt fingernails lightly scratching the back of Raihan’s neck. Raihan reached down to grab Leon’s ass, his fingers digging into the plump flesh as Leon exhaled sharply through his nose—as close to a moan as Raihan would get from Leon, he supposed. Leon surprised Raihan by lifting his legs, wrapping them around Raihan’s waist in the water, bringing their bodies even closer together. Raihan growled in his throat, nipping Leon’s plush lower lip with his fangs, to which Leon gasped in response.

Raihan stepped forward in the pool, wading back to the edge of the pool they were at before, holding Leon tightly in his arms as they continued to kiss and rub against each other. Leon’s hips stuttered against Raihan’s, and Raihan could nearly feel the searing heat coming from his sex, his cock twitching in response. Leon was thoroughly aroused, that much was obvious by his panting and his hooded eyes and flushed cheeks, which made Raihan’s cock throb with need. Raihan leaned Leon against the incline of rock, angling them so Raihan held Leon against the rock, one hand placed firmly on the rock beside Leon’s head, the other trailing down Leon’s chest, stopping momentarily to pinch a dark nipple, smirking when Leon’s breath hitched, before continuing his descent. Raihan ignored his own cock as his hand traveled down Leon’s body, but Leon grasped his cock in his hand, tracing the hard flesh with his fingers before gripping it expertly. Raihan hissed at the contact, his hand reaching for Leon’s sex and his fingers dipped between his folds. Raihan relished the feel of how wet Leon already was. “You want this?” Raihan breathed, and Leon nodded fiercely, squeezing his eyes shut as his hand squeezed Raihan’s cock in anticipation. Raihan smirked at the sight, excited to see how Leon would look when he thoroughly fucked him.

Raihan teased the hard nub of Leon’s clit with the tip of his finger, unable to control his smirk as Leon gasped, his back arching as he reached his other hand down to fit Raihan’s cock in both of his hands. Raihan glanced down between their stomachs, watching his cock slide in Leon’s hands as he slowly stroked. Raihan gasped at the sensation, adding more fingers as he started rubbing firm circles on Leon’s clit. Leon arched his back when Raihan added more pressure, his full lips parting and his eyes shut in pleasure. Raihan watched Leon’s face as it displayed nothing but bliss, his hand reaching down between his soft folds to gently tease at his hole with one finger. Leon bit his lip, his brows furrowing at the pleasure, his breaths coming out in quick pants through his nose. Without warning, Raihan slipped two fingers inside, groaning at the tight heat enveloping his fingers. He couldn’t wait to feel that heat around his cock, Leon’s walls twitching as Raihan opened him up with ease, firmly fucking into him with two fingers, the pads of his fingers rubbing against the spot inside Leon that made him squirm. Raihan watched as his fingers thrusted inside of Leon, and Leon’s hands quickened their pace around his cock, squeezing the cockhead with each upward stroke, a bead of precome swelling at the tip.

He heard Leon gasp and his breath quicken, his hands abruptly leaving Raihan’s cock, and the sound of it startled Raihan out of his daze. He sounded like he was in pain. Raihan looked up at Leon, his hand halting its motions as he took in the sight of Leon holding his neck in his hands, his eyes squeezed shut in pain. “What’s wrong?” he asked, reaching up with his free hand to Leon’s hands on his throat, gently pushing them away to reveal what looked to be golden chains wrapped around Leon’s neck, but the chains were beneath his skin. Raihan gasped at the sight, bringing both hands up to touch Leon’s neck, his eyes wide with concern. “Leon, are you okay?” he asked, raising his voice slightly in a panic.

Leon gripped Raihan’s wrist with both hands, looking up at him through hooded eyes as he panted beneath him. As Leon calmed down, the golden chains faded away, leaving Leon’s skin unmarred, as it was before. He glanced up at Raihan with an apologetic look, Raihan’s cock flagging against Leon’s stomach after seeing Leon’s neck wrapped in chains.

Raihan gently traced Leon’s neck, feeling nothing out of the ordinary, certainly not chains beneath his skin. Leon continued to look at him sadly, squeezing Raihan’s wrist as his fingers gingerly touched his neck. “I…what was that?” he breathed, more so to himself because he knew Leon couldn’t answer. “You were in pain.” it wasn’t a question, but Leon nodded in response. Realization dawned in Raihan’s mind, his lips parting slightly in surprise. “Is this why you can’t speak? Is this some kind of curse?” he asked.

Leon looked away, looking embarrassed and guilty at the same time. He wouldn’t make eye contact with Raihan, but he nodded slowly.

Raihan grit his teeth, a growl rumbling in his throat. “Did Lord Rose do this to you?” to his surprise, Leon shook his head. “Then who did?” he asked, but realized Leon wouldn’t be able to answer that. Raihan sighed, bending down close to Leon’s face, their lips brushing as Raihan spoke. “It hurts when you try to make noise?” he asked, and Leon nodded, finally able to meet Raihan’s gaze again. Raihan glanced between their bodies, his softening cock limping lazily over Leon’s stomach. “I suppose that means we can’t do this.” Leon’s grip around Raihan’s hands tightened, his nails digging into the skin, getting Raihan’s attention. When Raihan looked up, that determined look was back on Leon’s face, his hips rolling into Raihan’s as he physically stated what he wanted. Raihan breathed out a laugh. “You still want to continue?” he asked. Leon nodded, reaching his hands down to grip Raihan’s cock again. Raihan smirked, nodding to himself. “Alright, if that’s what you want. If it gets too much, feel free to stop.” he explained, and Leon nodded in understanding.

Raihan brought their lips together as Leon tentatively began stroking his cock, his generous length hardening again at his touch. Raihan groaned into Leon’s mouth at the feel of his calloused fingers on his cock— _ hands used to working on a farm, not as a pleasure slave _ , Raihan told himself—as he rolled his hips into Leon’s grip, enjoying the feel of Leon’s fingers squeezing the hard flesh of his cock. Raihan reached his hand back down to Leon’s sex, focusing on his clit as he slowly rubbed circles against it. Leon panted, his lips parting as Raihan’s tongue slid against his own, his brows furrowed in concentration and in pleasure as his own hips stuttered against Raihan’s, bringing Raihan’s hand closer to his sex. Raihan desperately wished he could hear Leon keen and whine and moan beneath him, his body writhing in such a way that told Raihan he would look beautiful while he fucked him, his tight walls milking his cock as he fucked into him. Raihan’s breath caught at the thought of it, his hand quickening its movements on Leon’s clit, his cockhead leaking more precome as his lower stomach tightened. He wouldn’t last long, he knew it. It had been too long since he’d been with someone, let alone someone as beautiful as Leon, and Leon’s hands were like magic on him. Raihan roughly bit Leon’s lower lip, relishing in the sound of Leon’s gasp.

Leon’s body stiffened against Raihan’s, his hips thrusting quicker into Raihan’s hand as he continued to rub firm, quick circles against his clit. Leon seemed to be in the same situation as Raihan, showing signs that he was near his limit. Raihan looked down at his cock in Leon’s hands, sliding through his tight grip as he stroked. Raihan’s cockhead was a ruddy red, twitching and leaking as desire built up in him. Leon wrapped his legs around Raihan’s hips, his thighs tightening their hold as Raihan quickened his pace on his clit. Raihan tenderly kissed Leon’s lips, keeping their mouths close together as he whispered: “You wanna come?” Leon nodded quickly, his hands quickening their strokes. Raihan noticed he was fighting to keep his breathing even, focusing to keep himself from trying to make noise. Raihan leaned down to lick and bite at his throat. “If you’re going to be mine, then there’s one thing you should know.” Leon’s back arched when Raihan said “mine,” something Raihan growled in approval of. He trailed his lips up Leon’s throat, his jaw, and finally reaching his ear, where he nibbled at Leon’s earlobe. His voice was low and husky with arousal as he spoke. “I’m always going to make you come first.” he declared.

Leon exhaled a silent shout at Raihan’s words, his head tilting and his back arching as Raihan felt his body tense before relaxing, his hips rolling uncontrollably into Raihan’s hand. Raihan watched Leon’s face as he came, admiring the sight of his parted lips and closed eyes, and, even though he couldn’t make noise, his body was singing as his orgasm took over. Raihan wasn’t far behind, the sight of Leon coming beneath him too much to bear as his own orgasm ripped through his body, but he forced his eyes to stay open as he came, thick ropes of cum spurting from his cock and onto Leon’s hands and stomach. His hips rolled, thrusting into Leon’s hands, a low moan rumbling in his throat as his body rode the high.

They panted as they both came down from their high, Raihan dipping his head to kiss Leon again, their tongues lazily sliding together in post-orgasmic bliss. Raihan couldn’t remember the last time he had come that hard. He wrapped his arms around Leon’s waist, bringing their bodies together sliding Raihan’s come between their stomachs, his cock softening between them. Raihan hummed in satisfaction when Leon trailed his fingers up Raihan’s neck, gently scratching at his scalp beneath his locs. Raihan chuckled against Leon’s lips as he adjusted his body slightly, feeling drying come on his stomach, feeling drying come on his stomach. “So much for getting clean.” he felt Leon smile against his lips.

They got clean eventually, with Leon gladly washing Raihan, admiring his toned body as he lathered and cleaned him. Leon was hesitant about letting Raihan return the favor, but gave in with a satisfied sigh and fluttered his eyes shut when Raihan gently stroked his soft folds, allowing Raihan to wash him with exploring hands and curious lips.

Leon’s bed was left empty that night after Raihan brought him into his bed. Raihan thought it would be rude to make Leon sleep in his own bed after giving him a mind-blowing orgasm, and Leon happily followed behind him, letting Raihan hold his hand and guide him towards his bedroom. Raihan held Leon close to his chest, cuddled up against his back as their clean, naked bodies rubbed together, playfully exploring each other throughout the night. Raihan couldn’t remember the last time he slept so well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now you know why Leon can't speak :')
> 
> Thanks for reading! <3


	4. FOUR

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I meant for there to be more than just sex in this chapter but my brain had other ideas whoops

Raihan was having a wonderful dream about fucking into Leon’s tight cunt, his soft, velvety walls tightening and contracting around his thick cock while Leon writhed and moaned beneath him, gripping the sheets so hard they threatened to rip. Raihan could feel the delicious tight heat around his cock, tendrils of pleasure licking up his spine as he thrust into Leon’s sex, fucking him open on his hard length. Raihan growled, baring his fangs as he watched his cock—shiny with slick—slide in and out of Leon’s cunt, all while Leon whined and arched beneath him, his golden eyes hazy with lust and his full lips parted as moans escaped him. 

As Raihan slowly woke from his dream, he felt the cool morning sunshine on his face as it streamed through the windows of his bedroom. He lay on his back; the sheets pulled away from him while he slept. He was still half-dreaming, moaning low in his throat at the feel of Leon’s tight heat around his hard cock, sighing in pleasure as Leon’s cunt milked him closer to orgasm. Raihan minutely thrust his hips as the dream left him, hoping to come before he woke up completely. As he came to, the sensation on his cock lingered, a tight wet cavern sucking his cock. Raihan’s eyes opened sleepily, glancing down to see what he was feeling on his cock. 

He groaned loudly at the sight of Leon between his legs, lips wrapped tightly around his cock as his head bobbed along the heated length. 

Leon flicked his gaze up at him, his golden eyes hazy with lust as he mouthed at the tip, swirling his tongue around the sensitive flesh before taking his cock back in his mouth, his tongue laving the sensitive underside. 

Raihan moaned throatily, his head falling back into the pillows as his hands reached down to grip Leon’s hair. “Holy  _ shit _ ,” he cursed in a whisper, his hips stuttering as Leon continued bobbing further down his cock. Leon held his balls in one hand, gently rolling the tender sac in his palm, while the other hand stroked the length of Raihan’s cock he couldn’t fit in his mouth, his fingers squeezing the hardened flesh. 

Raihan’s lips parted as he panted, gasping and sighing as Leon continued to suck, his tongue doing wonders on the underside of his cock. He would periodically keep only the head between his plush lips, kissing and licking the sensitive skin, the tip of his tongue darting against the slit, causing Raihan to squeeze his eyes shut and moan, his fingers tightening their grip on Leon’s hair. 

“Oh  _ shit, Leon, _ ” Raihan hissed, his hips thrusting subconsciously, craning his neck to watch as Leon took his length into his hot mouth. “Baby, you feel so  _ good _ .” He praised, tightening his hold on Leon’s hair and pulling up, forcing Leon to look at him. Leon mouthed at the tip of Raihan’s cock as he gazed up at him, his eyes sparkling with lust as he gingerly sucked on the head, his tongue sliding along the underside where his foreskin was pulled back. Raihan glanced over Leon’s head, seeing his pert ass in the air while Leon kept his face low on Raihan’s cock. Raihan wished he had a mirror so he could see Leon’s sex, his legs spread open and displaying his dripping cunt, begging Raihan to fuck him. 

Raihan wasn’t sure how long Leon had been sucking him before he awoke, but he could feel his orgasm building, his heavy balls drawing up around his cock and threatening to spill. “Leon, baby, I’m gonna—” he tried to tug Leon away from his cock in case he didn’t want Raihan to come in his mouth, but Leon fought Raihan’s grip, his lips tightening around his length as he quickened his pace, his tongue sliding along the pulsing vein on the shaft of his cock, the tip of Raihan’s cock bumping against the back of Leon’s throat.

Raihan came with a quick shout, his hips pumping into Leon’s mouth as he spilled hot come down his throat, and Leon milked his cock for every last drop. Raihan panted as he came, his body tense as his orgasm washed over him, small grunts escaping his parted lips as Leon slowed his ministrations, letting Raihan ride his high, his hips stuttering from the aftershocks. 

He kept his eyes closed in bliss, but he felt Leon climb up his body, moving to straddle Raihan’s hips. Raihan opened his eyes with a lazy smile, gripping the back of Leon’s neck to bring him down into a wet, heated kiss. Raihan didn’t care that he could taste his come on Leon’s tongue, and he didn’t care that neither of them had yet to brush their teeth, he just enjoyed feeling Leon’s tongue slide against his own and enjoyed the sound of Leon’s little gasps when he would nip at his lips. Raihan wrapped his free arm around Leon’s waist, holding him close as he kissed the corners of his mouth, his jawline, and sucking and biting at his throat. Leon hissed, tilting his head back to give Raihan more access to his neck, to which Raihan hummed in approval. Leon rolled his hips into Raihan’s and Raihan felt his cock twitch when he felt wetness on Leon’s thighs.

“Oh baby,” Raihan sighed, bringing their lips together again as Leon continued to slowly grind his hips down onto his soft cock. “Thank you so much, that was amazing.” He breathed against Leon’s lips, firmly grasping his ass in his hands. “I think I want to be woken up like that every morning.” He joked, loving the feel of Leon’s smile against his lips. Leon gasped when Raihan reached his hands between his cheeks, sliding down until he touched his wet folds, Leon’s body jerking at the touch. “Mmm,” he hummed, biting Leon’s lower lip. “My poor baby still needs to be satisfied.” He smirked darkly, showing his fangs as he met Leon’s gaze. “Whatever shall I do?” 

Without warning, Raihan rolled Leon onto his back, setting him on the pillows as Raihan settled between his legs. Raihan lifted Leon’s hands, silently ordering him to grip the pillows as Raihan leaned back, taking in the beautiful body before him. Leon’s eyes were clouded with lust, the gold of his irises sparkling in the morning light, his full lips kiss-swollen and plump as he bit his lower lip between his teeth. His perky dark nipples stood proudly, begging to be licked and bitten—something Raihan found hard to resist as he idly pinched and twisted one in his hand, to which Leon arched into the touch—his smooth, toned stomach tensing and contracting as Raihan trailed his free hand down his body, the tips of his fingers causing goosebumps to rise on his dark skin, and finally Raihan took in the sight of his parted legs, his folds glistening and his cunt clenching as Raihan admired his body. 

“Perfect,” Raihan purred, dipping a finger between Leon’s wet folds. Raihan felt Leon grasp the hand on his chest, flicking his eyes up to watch as Leon brought his hand to his mouth, licking and sucking his fingers in his hot mouth. Raihan lifted a brow, his cock stirring with interest. “You like having something to suck on?” He asked, and Leon nodded, his lids heavy and a dazed-out look in his eyes as Raihan idly slid his fingers between his folds. One corner of Raihan’s mouth lifted in a smirk. “Good to know.” He rumbled.

Raihan started off slow, rubbing soothing circles against Leon’s clit, watching the way Leon’s eyes rolled back and his lids slowly closed, licking and sucking on Raihan’s fingers. Raihan experimentally pressed down on Leon’s tongue, parting his mouth as gasps and sighs escaped him. Raihan could feel his cock twitch in interest, but it was too soon for him to get hard again. Raihan slid his fingers up and down Leon’s sex, his fingers wet from Leon’s slick, and Raihan growled low in his throat. He easily slid two fingers inside Leon’s hot cunt, his walls tightening around the fingers as they penetrated him. Raihan easily found Leon’s spot along his upper walls, curling his fingers to press and run against that spot. 

For a quick moment, the golden chains around Leon’s neck appeared, but he took in a deep breath and they went away as quickly as they came, easing Raihan’s concerns. Leon seemed unbothered, holding Raihan’s wrist with both hands as his tongue swirled around his fingers. His back arched and his brows furrowed when Raihan added more pressure to the thrusts of his fingers, his walls tightening to the point that Raihan could barely move his fingers within him. 

Raihan learned forward, removing his hand from Leon’s mouth and capturing his lips in a heated kiss, their lips and tongues sliding together in blissful harmony. Raihan trailed down Leon’s body, biting at his neck with enough force to bruise before moving down to his chest, stopping to take one pert nipple in his mouth. Leon hissed as Raihan sucked the hardened bud in his mouth, his fangs grazing the sensitive flesh. Leon arched his back, pushing his chest into Raihan’s face as he silently asked for more, Raihan kissing across his chest to give the other nipple the same treatment. All the while his hand at Leon’s sex continued to fuck him open, his fingers scissoring his tight hole and thrusting into his soft walls. Raihan’s need to be inside of Leon, to really  _ fuck  _ him was all-consuming as he traveled down his body, licking and kissing his way down Leon’s stomach. 

Raihan smiled to himself when Leon jerked away once Raihan reached his hips—Leon was ticklish there, and Raihan stored that information away for later. Raihan playfully bit the skin along his hips, sliding his lips across the beautiful, unmarred skin as he reached Leon’s sex. Leon panted above him, his hands back over his head and gripping the pillows beneath him. 

Raihan brought his face to Leon’s sex, his mouth watering at the sight. He growled, watching his fingers thrust into Leon’s cunt, his other hand sliding along his folds, stopping to play with his clit as he glanced up at Leon. “I told you last night that you would always come first with me.” He smirked, a dark look in his eyes. “But since you already made me come, I’m gonna have to give it to you even better to make up for it.” He declared, spreading Leon’s folds with his fingers and leaning down to mouth at his sex.

If Leon could make noise, Raihan was sure he would be squealing with pleasure, his lips parting in a shaky exhale and his hips thrusting against Raihan’s mouth. Raihan wasted no time in licking at Leon’s clit, his fingers changing angles to thrust directly against his spot, the tip of his tongue teasing the hardened nub. He flattened his tongue, rubbing his clit at a firm pace, all while watching Leon, his pupils blown with lust as Leon arched and squirmed beneath him. Raihan gently sucked at Leon’s clit, sliding his tongue along the nub as Leon erratically thrusted into his mouth. It had been a while since Raihan had serviced someone, and he was glad to see that he could still make his lovers squirm.

Raihan slid a third finger inside Leon’s cunt, moaning to himself at the tight heat around his fingers. Since tasting the sweet nectar of Leon’s sex, his cock had grown hard again, hanging heavily between his thighs and twitching with need. Leon would feel  _ amazing  _ around him, and Raihan wasn’t sure how much longer he could hold back. A primal instinct brewed within him, whispering in the back of his mind to hold Leon down and fuck him,  _ hard _ . To bite and mark him as his own, to spill his seed into him and  _ own  _ him. Raihan growled at the thought, thrusting harder into Leon’s cunt and firming his tongue as it laved against his clit. 

Leon continued to writhe beneath him, his back arching and his chest high in the air, his swollen nipples hard and begging for a tongue or teeth to mark them. Raihan rumbled in approval when Leon reached one hand down to play with a dark nipple, pinching the bud between his fingers as his jaw tightened and he hissed in pleasure. His hips rolled into Raihan’s mouth, and he followed the rhythm with his tongue as his fingers continued to relentlessly thrust into him. 

Raihan continued his ministrations even as he felt Leon’s walls tense impossibly tight around him, Leon’s body stilling for one second before Leon’s eyes shot open, his body falling against the bed as his orgasm racked through him. Raihan slowed the thrusts of his fingers, rubbing against his spot as Leon’s walls pulsed and twitched around him, his tongue languidly sliding along his clit as he gazed up at his lover. Leon gasped and panted as his body rode the high, his eyes barely open but Raihan could see the dazed look in those golden irises.

Like Leon did for him, Raihan climbed up his body when his orgasm was over, bringing their lips together in a passionate kiss, Raihan sliding his tongue into Leon’s mouth so he could taste his own come. Leon threw his hands around Raihan’s neck and wrapped his legs around Raihan’s hips, bringing their bodies flush together. Raihan was rock hard, his cock throbbing after the sight of Leon’s orgasm. Leon panted against Raihan’s lips, holding his jaw in his hands as Raihan slowly rolled his hips into Leon’s.

“Baby,” Raihan breathed, nipping Leon’s lower lip. “I want you so bad.” He emphasized his point by grinding their hips together, Leon gasping as Raihan’s cock rubbed against his tender folds, still shaking from his orgasm. “Can I have you? Please?” Raihan was taught that a king never asked, always demanded and took what he needed. But for Leon, Raihan was willing to drop to his knees and  _ beg _ .

Leon nodded, almost desperately, and that was all the incentive Raihan needed. He would worship his lover like the god he was.

Raihan reached down between them to grab his heated length, the hard flesh twitching at the touch. Raihan teasingly rubbed the tip of his cock against Leon’s clit, smirking when Leon exhaled and impatiently rolled his hips against his cock. Raihan leaned down to kiss Leon, sliding his tongue along his lower lip before biting it as he slowly slid his cock into Leon’s dripping cunt. Leon grasped Raihan’s shoulders, blunt fingernails digging into Raihan’s coppery skin as his cockhead penetrated him, a hiss escaping as Raihan continued to kiss him. Raihan moaned low in his throat as his cock easily slid in, slowly thrusting in until his balls brushed against Leon’s ass, his cock fully sheathed within the tight, wet heat. 

“Oh, fuck,” Raihan hissed into Leon’s mouth, wanting to keep close to Leon as he dragged his hips back, Leon’s cunt gripping his cock as he thrust out. Leon let out a shaky exhale, his legs tightening around Raihan’s waist. Raihan didn’t pull out far before he thrust back in, both men sighing at the delicious friction. Raihan wrapped his arms around Leon’s waist, bringing their bodies together as he slowly fucked him open. 

Leon tilted his head back into the pillows, his eyes screwed shut and his lips parted as he gasped and sighed, rolling his hips with Raihan’s thrusts. Raihan buried his face in Leon’s neck, kissing and licking and biting the sensitive flesh there. Sometimes he would feel the searing heat of the chains locked around Leon’s neck, but it never lasted long, Leon able to calm himself down enough to keep the chains from appearing. Raihan put more pressure into his thrusts, keeping them short but powerful. He loved the drag of his cock along Leon’s velvety walls, but he couldn’t bring himself to pull his cock out too far before thrusting back in. Leon’s cunt was too amazing, too delicious to be left empty for long. Raihan wasn’t sure how he would keep himself from fucking Leon constantly from now on. 

Raihan bit and licked along Leon’s jawline as he quickened the pace of his thrusts, moaning softly as Leon milked his cock, his walls squeezing and pulsing around his hardened flesh. “Baby,” he whispered, trailing up Leon’s jaw to his ear, nibbling at the outer shell as Leon’s grip around his shoulders tightened. “Leon, baby, you feel so good.” He praised, thrusting hard into Leon to emphasize his point. “Feel so good around my cock, wanna keep you here forever.” He mumbled, drunk with lust.

Leon hissed, bringing a hand down to his sex, rubbing against his clit as Raihan pounded into him. Leon’s head fell back into the pillows, his mouth open in a silent scream as his hips thrusted against Raihan’s, meeting his powerful thrusts and driving his cock further in. Leon bit his lower lip, his brows furrowed in pleasure as Raihan didn’t let up on his now brutal pace. 

“You like that?” Raihan growled into Leon’s ear, his balls slapping against Leon’s ass as his cock fucked Leon wide open. Leon nodded frantically, his hand on his clit increasing speed to match Raihan’s pace. “You gonna come again? Gonna come on my cock like a good boy?” Leon gasped, his eyes rolling back as his cunt tightened even more around Raihan. Raihan groaned, rolling his hips harder into Leon, his cock trapped between Leon’s tight walls. “ _ Fuck _ , you feel amazing, baby. Wanna keep you open like this all the time.” The words flowed from Raihan’s mouth as he pounded into Leon’s tight cunt, Leon gasping and panting in pleasure with each thrust. “Would you like that? If I kept you like this all the time? Kept you open and ready for me whenever I wanted it?” Leon nodded, opening his eyes as Raihan hovered above him, his golden eyes hazy with lust and half-lidded. Raihan could practically see hearts in his eyes. 

Raihan placed his hands on either side of Leon, arching his back to change the angle of his thrusts, each thrust rubbing against Leon’s spot. Leon sighed, but Raihan wished he could hear his lover scream. “Wanna feel you come on my cock, baby.” He mumbled, glancing down to watch his cock thrust into Leon, his cock hard and twitching, his balls full and aching to come, to spill into Leon’s hot cunt. Raihan looked back up to Leon again, who was lost in pleasure. “Come for me, love.”

Leon’s back arched, his mouth parted in a long, silent scream as the chains around his neck lit up in bright gold. His cunt tightened around Raihan’s cock before pulsing erratically, coming around his thick length and milking Raihan to his orgasm. Leon’s hips thrusted on their own accord, his body jolting with the intensity of his orgasm as his eyes rolled back before squeezing shut, one hand rubbing his clit and the other gripping the pillows so hard he ripped the pillowcase. 

Raihan couldn’t hold back at the feel of Leon’s cunt milking him, his orgasm pushing through him like a punch to his gut. He bowed forward, his hips stuttering as his cock twitched before spilling into Leon, hot come filling him up. Raihan growled, gnashing his teeth together at the overwhelming pleasure, his head tilting back as he slowed his thrusts, enjoying every moment of his orgasm as it pulsed through him. He sighed in bliss as his balls emptied into Leon, languidly thrusting into his lover as his cock began to soften.

Raihan leaned over Leon, capturing his lips in a slow, lazy kiss as he pulled his cock from Leon’s. Leon hissed at the sensation, his legs wrapped tightly around Raihan’s waist as he ran his fingers through his locs, tugging gently, which made Raihan moan low in his throat. “That was amazing.” Raihan found himself saying that a lot since Leon fell into his life. “You’re amazing.” He held the side of Leon’s face with one hand as he deepened their kiss, Leon sighing happily as their tongues mingled together. 

ꭥꭥꭥꭥ

Raihan lost count of how many times they fucked after that. It was late in the afternoon by the time he had exhausted Leon to the point of passing out, laying on his stomach and breathing heavily into his pillow, his lavender hair a mess after Raihan found out how much he liked having it pulled while he fucked him. Raihan was sure his assistants came to the royal wing at some point during the morning when Raihan didn’t show up for breakfast, but they undoubtedly scurried away once they realized why the king had yet to get out of bed. Although Leon couldn’t make noise, the indisputable growl of Raihan’s pleasure was enough to drive anyone away. 

Leon had the luxury of sleeping off his exhaustion after being thoroughly fucked, but Raihan knew he had to attend court meetings eventually. Hammerlocke would be up in flames if he didn’t keep everything in order. Raihan hated leaving Leon, but he would be back later that night, and Leon would be (hopefully eagerly) waiting for him.

Raihan had a moment of inner conflict when he realized he was using Leon for the purpose Lord Rose gifted him. Raihan wondered if he was any better than the barbaric kings who owned hoards of pleasure slaves, using peasants for their own satisfaction. But Leon wanted it, wanted to be with Raihan, and that eased his fears somewhat. He was unsure whether Leon wanted Raihan because he felt like it was his job to do so, but Raihan liked to believe that Leon was genuinely attracted to him. Maybe in the coming months they could get to know each other, despite Leon’s disability, and maybe they could become friends or…something more. Raihan wouldn’t mind that. Leon was gorgeous, and they had great sexual chemistry, but if they could have something beyond that…Raihan’s heart skipped at the thought.

Raihan dressed by the balcony, the windows open to let the air in and get the stench of sex out of his bedroom. His eyes narrowed at the sight of massive orange wings peeking over the forest leading to the mountain. Raihan stepped out onto the balcony and brought his hands to his mouth, cupping his hands to amplify his voice as he whistled into the mild afternoon air. His father taught him the dragon call when he was young, and Raihan smiled as Charizard began flying towards the castle.

“Hey, Char,” Raihan greeted as the massive orange dragon landed on the balcony, his eyes bright and smiling down at his tamer. “having fun out there?” He asked, to which Charizard huffed happily, his wings flapping with excitement. Raihan glanced into his bedroom, seeing the corner of his bed and the tousled lavender hair that belonged to Leon. He smiled at the sight before looking back at Charizard. “I’ve got a lot of work to do today, since I’m getting a late start.” He explained, and Charizard listened. The dragons in Hammerlocke were very intelligent; sometimes Raihan thought the dragons were smarter than the people in his own court. “Can you look after him until I get back?” He asked, gesturing towards the sleeping Leon. Charizard glanced inside his bedroom, chirruping with a nod of his giant head. Raihan smiled. “Thanks, buddy. He might be a little scared of you at first, but just get him anything he needs, and he should warm right up to you.”

Charizard huffed, happy at the thought of making a new friend. Raihan patted his nose, smiling fondly at the dragon. “I appreciate it, Char. Take good care of him, alright?” He asked, and Charizard closed his eyes as he leaned into Raihan’s touch. Raihan chuckled. For being such a big, scary dragon, he sure did like being coddled. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Raihan is a gentleman but he also has a filthy mouth, so there's that ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> Thanks for reading! <3
> 
> Come be my friend on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/sagegallows)!


	5. FIVE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The smut is necessary to the plot, I promise lmao

A month had passed since Raihan took the throne, and since Leon arrived in his life. The two had grown closer over time, and Raihan often caught himself wondering if he should send a thank you note to Lord Rose, but he quickly scrapped that idea when he remembered that it was Lord Rose who made Leon into a pleasure slave, and Raihan still despised him for that. No, Raihan was comfortable keeping Lord Rose out of his mind, something he found very easy to do with Leon by his side (and in his bed). Leon turned out to be just what Raihan needed in the early months of his ascension to the throne, something to look forward to at the end of a rough day. Although they couldn’t communicate besides vague hand gestures and pointing, Raihan found comfort in Leon’s presence, and just having someone there to hold him and support him was enough. Raihan often wondered if there was a way to reverse the curse that kept Leon from speaking, but he was too busy handling his kingdom to seek a solution. It would have to wait, he told himself, and Leon didn’t seem to mind that he couldn’t verbally communicate. Raihan smirked to himself. Leon could perfectly communicate with his body instead. 

Although he was king, and he bowed to no one, he still had to keep up appearances. His court organized a ball to celebrate the changing of the seasons, and all noble families in Hammerlocke were expected to attend. Raihan hated dealing with the nobles, for he thought they were all glorified ass-kissers with the money to get the King’s attention, and they all wanted something from Raihan. Some wanted more money, some wanted land, some wanted the king to settle a quarrel between families, and some wanted to marry off their daughters to the king. Raihan grimaced at that. He knew he would be expected to take a queen, and soon, but he had no time for marriage and weddings and even more parties. Besides, he was perfectly fine with his…erm,  _ personal assistant _ , as Raihan had taken to calling Leon. He didn’t doubt that there were rumors running ablaze throughout the nobility about Raihan’s infatuation with his “assistant,” but he paid them no mind. He was the king, and he would remain the king until the day he died, no matter what he did in his personal life. As long as he kept up appearances and kept the people of Hammerlocke happy, then there was nothing the nobility could do to overthrow him. 

That still didn’t change the fact that he hated having to throw parties for them.

He made his way through the crowded ballroom, mingling with nobles and smiling all the way, a glass of wine in his hand that never went empty with the abundance of servants fluttering about. He wore a fine suit with gold trim and red accents, his crown placed strategically on his head. He was pulled this way and that, every noble wishing to speak with the young king, and Raihan kept up the facade for all of them.  _ Smile, laugh, clink glasses, praise Hammerlocke, politely turn down marriage proposals, repeat.  _

As he made his way through the ballroom, he made sure to discreetly glance into the shadows. Since he was officially registered as a servant to the castle, Leon had to attend the ball as all servants did. Since he was not a servant who specialized in food or pleasantries, he was not one of the servants swiftly moving through the crowd to keep the nobles satisfied. He stayed along the walls, hiding in the shadows so the nobles would not have to set their eyes upon a lowly peasant. Raihan knew where he was, however; he was the one who told Leon to stay close to the hallway leading to the royal wing. When he could, he glanced in Leon’s direction, seeing the dull glow of golden eyes from what little light reached the shadows. It comforted him to know that Leon was there, a silent companion who wanted nothing more from Raihan than for him to be happy. 

“Your Highness,” Raihan turned when someone tapped his shoulder, looking down to see a nobleman and his—presumably—daughter behind him. Raihan towered over everyone at the party, making him easy to spot in a crowd. Raihan normally liked his height, but at the moment he wished for nothing more than to blend in with the crowd of nobles. “have you met my daughter, Cecilia?” The nobleman asked, gesturing to his young daughter standing behind him.

Raihan wanted to roll his eyes. Another father shoving his unwed daughter into Raihan’s presence, hoping to make a queen out of her. The constant marriage proposals made Raihan want to marry an old hag just to shock the nobles to death. Hell, he would marry  _ Kabu  _ just to see what kind of reaction he would get out of it. Instead, Raihan plastered on his fake smile, his fangs beaming as he bent to take Lady Cecilia’s outstretched hand, politely kissing her knuckles. “I’m afraid not, but it is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Cecilia.” He spoke in a low voice, glancing at the young lady and containing his laughter at how she looked like she might faint. It wasn’t every day a young lady came into such close contact with an eligible king. 

Lady Cecilia’s father was delighted at Raihan’s actions, taking his politeness as interest in his daughter. “Oh, how lovely!” He cooed, stars in his eyes at the thought of his daughter marrying the king. “You two paint a beautiful picture together!”

Raihan hated being polite to these people, but there were rules and etiquette he had to follow, even if he was above them all. The orchestra at the edge of the ballroom played an upbeat waltz, encouraging the partygoers to dance. Raihan wanted to sigh in frustration. It was only polite for Raihan to ask Lady Cecilia for a dance, something her father undoubtedly wanted as it would spark rumors that his daughter caught the eye of the king.  _ Rules are rules, I suppose _ . Raihan gripped Lady Cecilia’s hand, gesturing to the center of the ballroom where couples were dancing. “May I have this dance, Lady Cecilia?” he asked, leading the young woman to the dance floor after she nodded, a blush flushed across her cheeks.

Raihan could practically feel the stares and whispers as he danced with Lady Cecilia, following the steps of the waltz as he guided her across the dance floor. He could tell Lady Cecilia was loving every moment, no doubt already thinking of how she would gush and squeal to her friends she danced with King Raihan, and she was probably already thinking of what dress she would wear to the wedding. Raihan glanced over her head, seeing her father proudly bragging to the other nobles that it was  _ his  _ daughter King Raihan was dancing with and not theirs. Lady Cecilia was the envy of the court at the moment, and she and her father were drinking up the attention like fine wine. Raihan wanted to roll his eyes. He was nothing more than a status symbol to these people.

He twirled Lady Cecilia around, and his gaze lingered into the shadows, wanting to catch a glimpse of Leon. He found him in the same spot as before, his calm golden eyes meeting his, his face neutral. He worried that Leon would feel betrayed or disregarded by Raihan, but Leon’s expression was blank. Raihan could not see hurt in his eyes, and so he hoped that Leon was not upset about his dancing with Lady Cecilia. Raihan hoped he knew that the dance meant nothing, that he wasn’t going to leave the ball engaged to a nobleman’s daughter, and that he only had eyes for Leon. That much should have been clear at the moment, since Raihan was dancing with a young woman and surrounded by nobles, but he couldn’t take his eyes off of Leon.

The song ended, Raihan bowing and Lady Cecilia curtseying. Raihan smiled at Lady Cecilia. “You are a wonderful dancer, my Lady.” he complimented, and Lady Cecilia giggled, the blush still on her face. She didn’t speak much, but most nobleman’s daughters didn’t, since they were used to their fathers speaking for them and making all their decisions for them. If Raihan intended on courting Lady Cecilia, then he would have to go through her father to do so. Judging by the elated look on her father’s face, Raihan knew that her father would be delighted at the prospect of Raihan courting her. All the noble families with eligible daughters wanted Raihan to notice them, but he never would, not beyond the basic pleasantries expected of him. He had no interest in any of them, and he wasn’t sure he ever would now that he had someone like Leon in his life.

Raihan politely excused himself, feeling he was at his limit of ass-kissing nobles and fake smiles. Other nobles crowded around him, but he gently brushed them off as he made his way through the ballroom. “Excuse me, my Lords and Ladies, but I need to speak with my assistant about an important matter.” he purposely kept it vague, and the chatter amongst the nobles grew in intensity at Raihan’s words. They assumed he found a woman he was interested in and was going to his assistant for advice on how to court her.  _ Who could the lucky girl be?  _ They whispered excitedly to each other as Raihan walked into the shadows of the ballroom, teal eyes meeting gold.

Raihan grabbed Leon’s arm, dragging him from his spot along the wall and towards the entryway into the rest of the castle. “Come with me.” he grumbled, letting his fake smile fall and a snarl replace it. He hated nobles, he really did. Leon didn’t fight, allowing Raihan to lead him out of the ballroom and into the dark hallways. Raihan caught the attention of two guards, gesturing to the hallway. “Make sure no one comes into this hallway. No nobles, no servants,  _ no one _ . Unless Hammerlocke is engulfed in flames,  _ no one _ will disturb me.” he growled, and the guards nodded, wary looks on their faces as their king left with a servant in tow.

The chatter of the nobles and the music of the orchestra died down as Raihan walked further into the hallway. He moved his grip from Leon’s arm to his hand, lacing their fingers together as they left the sight of the nobles. When Raihan deemed they were far away enough, he pushed Leon against the wall, hiding themselves behind a column adorned with a red drape. Raihan placed his hands on either side of Leon’s head on the wall, staring down at wide golden eyes dimly illuminated by the faint light coming from the ballroom.

“You know that Lady means nothing to me, right?” Raihan growled, leaning down to capture Leon’s lips in a searing kiss, groaning in satisfaction at the feel of those plush lips parting for him. Leon reached up to grip Raihan’s waist, holding his sides in his hands as his fingers dug into the thick fabric of his coat. Leon nodded into the kiss, exhaling sharply through his nose as Raihan pulled on his lower lip with his teeth. “I will never take a queen. Especially from those people.” he seethed, talking more to himself than to Leon, but it felt good to vent to someone who wouldn’t try to convince him otherwise, that it was for the good of the kingdom to marry a noble girl. “Those people don’t care about me. They only want the status that I can give them. A chance to be closer to the crown.” he growled as he continued to kiss Leon, who eagerly took Raihan’s nips and bites and rough kisses. In the time they’ve known each other, Raihan found that Leon liked to be held down and taken, liked it when Raihan would use him how he pleased. He wasn’t sure if that was a side effect of his training as a pleasure slave or if Leon genuinely enjoyed Raihan’s rough treatment, but at the moment he  _ needed _ Leon’s pliant mouth and eager body. 

Raihan chuckled low in his throat, a menacing smirk on his face as he tangled his hand through Leon’s hair, holding the back of his head as he tilted it to the side, baring Leon’s throat. “If only they knew.” he hummed, leaning down to roughly bite at the sensitive skin of Leon’s neck. Leon gasped in surprise, gripping Raihan’s coat to pull him closer, their bodies pressed flush together. “If only they knew I had someone waiting for me every night, keeping my bed warm and waiting for me to fuck them.” he was overcome with frustration for the nobles, and he was quickly becoming overpowered by lust. He needed to get his aggressions out, and Leon seemed more than happy to help him. “Those girls have nothing on you, Leon, my beloved.” he growled, rolling his hips into Leon’s, Leon gasping at the feel of Raihans erection through his trousers. Raihan had been waiting for the party to end so he could fuck Leon into the mattress in his bedroom— _ their _ bedroom—but he forgot what little patience he had for nobles, and he needed to be with Leon  _ now _ . “You’re perfect. I want nothing more than to hold you close to me and show you off to those people, to rub it in their face that I’ve found someone worthy of being my companion.” he spoke aloud, licking and biting Leon’s throat as his lover writhed against him, pinned between Raihan and the wall. 

Raihan was growing impatient, an all-encompassing need to be  _ inside  _ Leon that was too powerful to ignore. He nipped at the outer shell of Leon’s ear, tightening his grip on Leon’s hair and pulling, smirking as Leon’s lips parted in a silent scream, his throat exposed and begging for Raihan to mark him. Leon wore the simple clothes of a servant, but he looked like a god in Raihan’s eyes, his golden eyes glassy with lust and his lips wet and sparkling in the dull light. “As much as I would love to hear you scream for me, as much as I would love for those nobles to hear that you  _ belong  _ to me, I suppose I should be thankful that you can’t speak. There are already rumors about us, but we don’t need to make those rumors worse.” he mumbled, reaching down with his free hand to pull at Leon’s trousers, shoving them down his thighs and letting Leon kick them off his legs. 

Raihan grazed his hand up Leon’s shirt, feeling his hot skin beneath his fingers. “I wish I could defile you in front of them.” he mused. Leon hissed, causing Raihan to raise a brow. “Would you like that? If I stripped you naked and fucked you in front of them?” Leon wrapped his arms around Raihan’s neck, bringing him down into a wet kiss. Leon’s eagerness as his tongue lapped into Raihan’s mouth as all the answer he needed. Raihan growled, reaching down to open his trousers, pulling them down to settle just under his balls, pulling his heavy cock from its confines, the head bumping against Leon’s stomach. “What if I was on the throne, and you in my lap? Would you ride my cock in front of them, taking me like the cockslut you are?” Leon’s eyes rolled back and he grinded his hips into Raihan, a desperate expression on his face. He needed this just as much as Raihan did, it seemed. Raihan licked up Leon’s throat in a firm stripe, growling with delight. “What a good boy you are.” he mumbled into Leon’s skin.

Raihan turned Leon around, forcing him to face the wall. Leon allowed himself to be manhandled, bringing his hands up to rest on the wall in front of him. Without needing to be told, Leon spread his legs and bent forward, pushing his ass out and grinding against Raihan’s cock. Raihan roughly gripped Leon’s hips, bringing their bodies together. “Perfect.” he growled. “Absolutely perfect.” he couldn’t see Leon’s face like this, but he could see his pert ass, gripping both cheeks in his hands and admiring how plump they were. He slapped one experimentally, grinning devilishly as Leon’s body jerked. “Sorry, my love, but we can’t drag this out too long. They’re bound to wonder where I am eventually.” he apologized, sliding one hand between Leon’s cheeks and to his dripping sex. Leon twitched when Raihan slid two fingers inside, Raihan teasing his walls and grinding against his spot. “How long have you been wet for me, baby?” he asked, even though he knew he wouldn’t get an answer, sliding his other hand up Leon’s back and into his hair, reaching up to grip the roots at the back of his scalp and pulling. He heard Leon’s quiet gasp, and he felt Leon’s hips rolling into his fingers, asking for more. “Have you been waiting for me to pull you aside and fuck you? Were you just as ready for the party to be over as I was?” he continued to speak as he lined his cock up with Leon’s hole, probing the tight opening with his cockhead. “Wanna be inside you so bad, baby. Gonna fuck you so hard.” he declared, tugging harder on Leon’s hair as the tip of his cock slid in, Raihan and Leon both sighing at the intense pleasure. “You ready, beloved?” Raihan asked, and Leon nodded furiously.

Raihan groaned low in his throat as his cock easily slid into the hilt, tilting his head back at the overpowering pleasure of Leon’s hot cunt around his cock. Leon arched his back, allowing his head to be tilted back by Raihan’s hard tugs on his hair, gasping at the initial shock of Raihan entering him. The chains around his neck flashed briefly before disappearing. Leon had gotten better about not hurting himself during sex, able to control himself enough to keep the chains from appearing. Raihan wished he could release the curse so Leon could really let go, to really scream and moan and cry as much as he wanted to. Raihan snarled as he started a rough pace, pounding into Leon with vigor. He watched in the dim light as his hips slapped against Leon’s ass, his cheeks jiggling with every movement. “ _ Fuck _ ,” he cursed, tightly gripping Leon’s hip in one hand while the other kept a tight grip on his hair, roughly pulling on the lavender strands as Leon gasped and trembled beneath him.

Raihan bowed his back, leaning over Leon as he continued to thrust, the new angle allowing his cock to rub deliciously against Leon’s spot. Raihan felt Leon reach a hand down to his sex, rubbing at his sensitive clit as Raihan pounded into him. Raihan tilted Leon’s head, exposing his throat so he could roughly bite into the skin. Leon’s body tensed, his walls tightening around Raihan as he licked the bite mark, humming in satisfaction as the hot walls of Leon’s cunt twitched and tightened around him. “Baby, you’re so good to me.” he whispered against Leon’s neck, his cock pistoning inside Leon, fucking him open on his thick cock. Raihan was well-endowed, larger than the average man, but Leon took his cock so well, opened easily for him, his walls tightly hugging his cock as it fucked into him. “No one will ever be as good as you.” he praised, listening as Leon’s breath hitched, his hand on his clit increasing speed as Raihan increased the pace of his thrusts. They were nearly primal now, both men rutting together against the wall like barbarians, and Raihan loved it. 

Raihan growled as he bit hard into Leon’s neck, intending to leave a bruise that would be impossible for Leon to hide. Leon’s mouth opened in a silent scream, his eyes screwing shut as his cunt throbbed around Raihan’s cock. Raihan grunted when he felt blood on his tongue, licking at the wound he left on Leon’s neck as his thrusts turned erratic. He had been thinking about fucking Leon all night, and he was at his limit. He needed to come inside Leon, to paint his walls with his hot seed. But he had to wait. He would never come before Leon did. He would never use Leon’s body like that. No, they would both get off on this, and Raihan  _ would  _ feel Leon’s orgasm on his cock. 

Leon’s back arched as his hips rolled subconsciously into Raihan’s thrusts, his walls getting impossibly tight around Raihan’s cock. Raihan smirked, nipping at biting along Leon’s throat as he pushed his cock further inside, filling Leon with short, aborted thrusts. “You close, baby?” he asked, and Leon nodded, his hand rubbing in quick circles on his clit. “Yeah, you’re gonna be a good boy and come on my cock, aren’t you?” he growled, leaning up to bite Leon’s ear as he grunted with each thrust, roughly fucking into Leon as his balls tightened with the need to release. Leon’s body tensed, his walls tightening before pulsing around Raihan’s cock, his orgasm taking over as his hips rolled erratically and quick pants escaped his parted lips. He was still coming when Raihan snapped, his hips stilling as hot come spurted from his cock and into Leon, filling him up with a low growl, his fangs digging into the sensitive skin of Leon’s ear. Leon gasped for air, and Raihan loosened his hold on his hair, allowing Leon’s head to fall forward onto the wall as his cunt twitched around Raihan’s cock, his body shaking in the aftershock of his orgasm.

Raihan wrapped his arms around Leon’s waist, holding him close as his cock slid out of his slippery sex, their combined slick slowly leaking out of Leon’s abused hole. “Wish I could stay here forever.” he mumbled into the back of Leon’s neck, rubbing his face into Leon’s sweaty hair. Leon exhaled happily, softly gripping Raihan’s arms as they panted and calmed down from their shared orgasms. Raian chuckled at Leon’s fucked-out state, his legs shaking and his hair a mess after Raihan’s rough treatment. “If you go back looking like this, the other servants will have a field day.” he smiled as he kissed Leon’s cheek. “Go back to our room. I’ll say that I don’t feel well and I’ll be up there as soon as I can.” he explained, and Leon nodded in response, putting his trousers back on with shaky hands.

Raihan slowly pulled away from Leon, watching with an amused expression as Leon tried to stand on his own, his legs wobbling as he had to hold onto the wall to keep himself from falling. “You sure you can walk?” Raihan asked, and Leon nodded, that stubborn look glinting in his eye that Raihan was all too familiar with. Raihan chuckled, cradling Leon’s face in his hands as he brought their lips together in a soft kiss. “Sorry if I was too rough on you.” he apologized, but Leon shook his head with a lazy smile, telling Raihan that Leon liked it. Raihan smiled in return, placing a tender kiss to Leon’s forehead. “I’ll try to be there soon.” he promised.

He watched Leon hobble through the hallway until he was out of sight, a warm smile on his face. He felt a surge of energy rush through him, the knowledge that Leon would wait for him at the end of the ball enough for Raihan to return to the party and deal with greedy nobles in good spirits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! <3
> 
> Come be my friend on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/sagegallows)!


	6. SIX

“Leon?” Raihan called quietly, looking from his book to Leon on his lap. Leon’s eyes were closed, his tan skin softly illuminated by the calm fire in the hearth. Raihan gently brushed his hand through his lover’s hair, the soft lavender strands feeling like silk. Raihan thought Leon was asleep, but when Leon squirmed and cracked his eyes open, Raihan brought up a conversation he had been meaning to have with Leon.

They spent a lot of time together in the last months, and all the while Raihan was discreetly trying to find a way to release Leon from his curse. He felt like he had a good lead, one provided to him by one of the kitchen staff once word spread among the servants that Raihan was looking for someone who knew magic. The kitchen servant, a young woman, told Raihan about someone she grew up hearing about, though she couldn’t guarantee if the person existed or not. It was enough for Raihan to do his own research, and now he felt comfortable bringing it to Leon’s attention.

Leon gazed up at Raihan with hooded eyes, his golden eyes sleepy and a content smile on his face as he leaned into Raihan’s touch. Raihan smiled softly down at Leon, enamored by his beauty. He had Leon’s attention, no matter how tired his lover was.

“I did some digging, and I may have found someone to break you free from your curse.” Raihan stated, gently brushing Leon’s neck, where just beneath his skin golden chains wrapped around him, keeping him from speaking. 

Leon’s eyes widened, shifting on the couch in front of the hearth to stare up at Raihan with inquisitive eyes. Raihan had his complete attention now.

“There’s said to be a witch in Glimwood Tangle. Have you heard of her?” Raihan asked, wondering if the story of the Glimwood Witch was passed around through the peasants. When Leon shook his head, Raihan continued. “She’s supposed to be a very powerful magic wielder. If I can find her, I’m wondering if she could help you.” Raihan mused, the tips of his fingers tracing the front of Leon’s throat. 

Leon’s eyes were sparkling as Raihan spoke, his golden irises full of hope at the prospect of being freed from his curse. He reached up to grasp Raihan’s hand on his neck, lacing their fingers together and a hopeful smile gracing his lips. 

Raihan smiled at Leon, happy to see that he seemed as eager to get rid of the curse as Raihan was. “Would you accompany me to Glimwood to find her? I don’t think I’d be able to convince her to come to Hammerlocke.” He asked and laughed softly when Leon nodded eagerly. “Good. It will be best if we go to Glimwood together. I don’t…I don’t really know where she is, so we may be there a while.” Raihan admitted, wishing there was more concreteness to his plan other than searching aimlessly for a witch who may not even exist. 

Leon squeezed Raihan’s hand, his eyes hopeful and his expression wanting. Raihan sighed at the sight, not wanting to let Leon down. “We’ll set out tomorrow morning,” he explained. “I’ll bring Charizard with us, his tracking skills are much better than mine.” He chuckled, and Leon smiled, clearly holding back his excitement. Raihan leaned down to place a soft kiss to Leon’s lips. “We’ll find her, beloved.” He whispered against Leon’s soft lips. “It may take days, or weeks, or more, but I promise you, if there is someone who can help you, I will find them.” He swore.

ꭥꭥꭥꭥ

Raihan and Leon set out for Glimwood Tangle the next morning, riding on Charizard’s back to save time. Raihan left his kingdom in the hands of his court, hoping Hammerlocke wouldn’t be in flames when he returned. It was easy for him to forget about his worries for his kingdom at the sight of Leon’s bright eyes and ecstatic smile, his arms wrapped tightly around Raihan’s waist as they flew high in the air. Leon was hopeful, and so Raihan had to be, too.

ꭥꭥꭥꭥ

“Let’s set up camp here.” Raihan stated when they found a clearing in the dense forests of Glimwood. Leon followed closely behind, golden eyes wide as he tried to see in the dark. 

Raihan wasn’t sure how long they had been traveling; the trees were crammed together and made it impossible to see the sky. Glimwood was shrouded in darkness, lit only by the soft neon lights of the vegetation. Raihan was glad Charizard was with them, for he scared off any imps that hid in the mushrooms, which quelled Leon’s initial fears of entering the forest. Raihan lost track of time in the endless darkness, but he could tell Leon was tired and so he decided it would be best for them to rest awhile. 

“Char,” Raihan called for his faithful companion, who looked up from the mushroom he was sniffing, the spongy head shaking after an imp had run out from beneath it. “scan the area for anything dangerous while we unpack.” Charizard nodded with a huff, climbing back through the tangled roots and brush to patrol the area around the clearing.

Raihan placed his pack down, setting up a makeshift camping ground. Leon grabbed random twigs and branches to start a fire while Raihan set out their bedrolls. He didn’t bring a tent with him because he didn’t want to lug it around, and he didn’t see the point in having a tent in the pitch black of the forest. Besides, Charizard would protect them from anything dangerous. The dragon had taken a liking to Leon in the months they had known each other, and both he and Raihan would make sure Leon was safe during their journey.

Leon started a small fire as Raihan plopped down on his bedroll, watching as Leon took out dried meats and bread from his pack, offering half to Raihan. “A feast made for a king.” Raihan teased, and Leon smiled slightly at the joke. Raihan noticed a change in demeanor the further they journeyed into Glimwood. Leon was beginning to lose hope. Raihan tried to lighten Leon’s spirits by wrapping an arm around his shoulders and bringing him close, settling Leon on his bedroll as they ate their meager dinner. “Hey, we’re gonna find her, don’t worry.” He whispered into Leon’s hair, placing a soft kiss to the top of his head. “I made a promise, and I don’t break promises.” 

Leon smiled into Raihan’s neck, snuggling closer as Raihan squeezed his shoulders reassuringly. Raihan wished Leon could tell him everything that was going on in his head. Leon was pretty good at expressing himself through body language, but there were still things about him that Raihan couldn’t figure out. He wanted to know more about his life in Postwick, what his family was like, how he became a servant, how he became a pleasure slave (Raihan still doubted that Leon voluntarily became one), and even the little things like what his favorite color was, or which season he liked the most. Raihan sighed into Leon’s hair, knowing that if he didn’t find the witch, he would never know the real Leon. 

Raihan forced his thoughts onto other things, such as the task at hand. “This forest is a lot bigger than I thought it would be.” He chuckled, and Leon nodded in agreement. He learned more about the Glimwood Witch before they left Hammerlocke, and he knew her house was in the middle of the forest, but no one told him that the forest seemed to have a mind of its own. Paths seemingly changed direction on their own, leading to dead ends or circling back to where they were before, and the threat of the wildlife didn’t help, either. Thankfully, they had Charizard to keep them somewhat on track. He would find their way back to the right path if they strayed too far, and he would scare off or fight off any wild animal that got too close. Many of the wildlife in the forest were unlike anything Raihan had ever seen before—animals that seemed to glow in the darkness and held so much power that it made Raihan uneasy. He knew the Glimwood Tangle was full of mysteries, but to be in a forest that felt so  _ alive  _ was unnerving.

It bothered Leon, too. He jumped in Raihan’s arms at the sound of trees shuffling and branches breaking, staring wide-eyed into the black abyss beyond the campfire. He visibly relaxed when Charizard appeared, his maw bloody after he found his own dinner. Raihan hoped it was one of those annoying little imps that he made a meal out of. Leon smiled softly at the sight of Charizard, leaning comfortably into Raihan’s embrace once again.

Raihan chuckled as Charizard situated himself on the other side of the campfire, yawning while proudly displaying his bloody mouth. “Looks like he ate better than we did.” He laughed, and Leon smiled at Charizard beamed at them, proud of his successful hunt. “You mind taking watch while we try to get some shuteye, buddy?” Raihan asked, and Charizard made a noise of affirmation, turning in his spot to face the darkness beyond the clearing, sniffing the air for any potential threats. Raihan turned his attention to Leon. “You wanna try to get some rest?” He asked, and Leon nodded. 

Raihan laid back on his bedroll, bringing Leon with him to get some rest before setting out again. Leon cuddled close to Raihan, resting his head in the crook of Raihan’s neck and slinging an arm over his middle, moving as close as he could to Raihan’s side. Raihan spread a blanket over them, tucking Leon’s head under his chin as he closed his eyes, hoping to get some sleep before they continued their journey.

Raihan didn’t fall asleep immediately, lost in his thoughts of the past months with Leon and the journey ahead. As much as he wanted to know Leon’s true thoughts and feelings, a nagging suspicion worried him. He still wasn’t convinced that Leon was sleeping with him out of his own volition, and that he only did so because he thought it was his job. Raihan knew Leon got as much pleasure out of sex as he did, but he still had to wonder what Leon thought about him. Raihan tried to clarify that he didn’t want to use Leon as a toy, as an object for his pleasure, and yet he still had sex with him. Perhaps if Raihan had rejected Leon that first night things would have turned out differently, and maybe Leon would have understood then. Leon never rejected Raihan’s advances, and Leon often initiated sex himself, but Raihan still wondered if Leon felt like he  _ had  _ to, that he was just a servant to Raihan. Oh, but Leon was so much more than that. 

Leon was… _ perfect _ , to say the least. He was beautiful, kind, and treated Raihan as a person rather than a king. It would be inappropriate if another servant treated him that way, but when Leon did it, it made him feel normal. Like he was more than his crown. And that worried Raihan. He had already fallen in too deep with Leon; he craved his companionship, both in body and mind. If Leon could speak, what would he say? That he was just doing his job? That Raihan meant nothing to him? Raihan’s blood ran cold at the thought.

He didn’t realize he was tensing until Leon ran a soothing hand up his chest, gently brushing his hand against his pecs beneath his shirt. Raihan unclenched his jaw, looking down at Leon through the dim light of the campfire and the neon glow of the mushrooms. Leon lifted his head to look down at Raihan, his eyes full of concern. He tilted his head to the side, silently asking Raihan what was wrong.

Raihan sighed with a slight smile, shaking his head as he tried to brush off Leon’s concerns. “Sorry, just a little worried about leaving Hammerlocke, is all.” He lied. “Don’t know how much I trust my court to keep the kingdom from going down in flames.” He chuckled nervously. 

Leon didn’t believe him. Raihan could see it in his eyes. But he entertained him anyway, smiling softly down at Raihan and bringing their lips together in a chaste kiss. Raihan exhaled through his nose, his brows furrowing as Leon slid his hand down his chest as their kiss deepened. Raihan jolted when Leon reached the hem of his pants, breaking off the kiss with a panicked expression.

“Ah, Leon, we—we don’t have to—” Raihan tried to push Leon away, glancing over Leon’s shoulder to see Charizard’s silhouette within the trees. He was hunting for something, leaving Raihan and Leon alone in the clearing. 

Leon lifted a brow with an amused expression on his face, glancing down Raihan’s body. Raihan followed his gaze, seeing he was half-hard beneath his pants. Damn his body and its endless craving for Leon. 

“I—I mean, we’re out in the open, are you sure you—?” Leon interrupted his question with a firm kiss, leaning over Raihan’s body as his tongue eagerly slid against the seam of his lips. Leon was more eager than usual, and Raihan could do nothing but lay back and take what Leon offered. His previous thoughts about Leon only doing his job left his mind, as his thoughts tended to do when Leon started touching him. He lost all rational thought telling him they  _ shouldn’t  _ be doing this in the middle of a clearing in a forest, but once Leon brushed his hand over his clothed erection, Raihan found it difficult to care about their surroundings.

Leon moved to straddle Raihan, holding Raihan’s face in his hands as they kissed, a low moan bubbling in Raihan’s throat. He reached up to wrap his arms around Leon’s waist, holding him close as he nipped Leon’s lower lip, tugging it and making Leon gasp. He slid one hand up Leon’s back, feeling the soft fabric of his shirt as he reached for his hair, which was tied back to keep it from getting tangled. Leon’s hips slowly ground against Raihan’s, exhaling sharply through his nose when he felt Raihan’s cock rub against him, twitching in response to Leon’s movements. Raihan brushed through Leon’s hair with his fingers, quickly undoing the tie keeping his hair up and letting the lavender strands fall around Leon’s shoulders. Without warning, Raihan grasped Leon’s hair at the back of his head, pulling harshly to expose Leon’s neck to him. Leon gasped in surprise as Raihan hastily nipped and bit at Leon’s neck, keeping a tight grip on his hair.

Raihan stopped when he felt the heat from the chains around Leon’s neck on his lips. The chains disappeared quickly, but it was enough to make Raihan take pause. He looked up at Leon, who was lost in lust and desire, his hips still grinding onto Raihan, his eyes fluttering closed as Raihan let go of his hair. Raihan had a moment of clarity, his thoughts and concerns from before crashing back onto him when he felt the chains around Leon’s neck. This wasn’t right. He couldn’t keep using Leon like this, even if Leon accepted it. 

“Leon,” Raihan called, getting Leon’s attention. Leon seemed to notice Raihan’s lack of enthusiasm, his hips stilling as he looked down at Raihan with confusion in his golden eyes. “I don’t…let’s not do this now.” he said, his voice low and firm, telling Leon he couldn’t be persuaded, even if he knew  _ that  _ was a lie. Raihan reached up to gently cup the side of Leon’s face in his hand, Leon tilting into the touch. “Next time we do this, I want to be able to hear you tell me you want this.” he stated, and Leon still seemed confused.  _ Of course he is, it’s not like I ever rejected him before when he couldn’t verbally say no. _ Raihan took another approach at Leon’s skepticism. “I want to be able to hear you scream my name.” he smirked at the blush on Leon’s cheeks. “You alright with waiting?”

Leon paused, seeming uncertain about being rejected by Raihan, but he soon nodded. Raihan could tell he still wasn’t convinced, so he gently pulled Leon down for a soft kiss. “All the more reason to find the witch, right?” he chuckled when Leon nodded enthusiastically. “Good. Now, let’s try to get some sleep, okay?” Leon nodded again, sliding off Raihan’s body to cuddle up against him, both men attempting to get some sleep before they set off in the search of the Glimwood Witch again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There was supposed to be good ol' outdoor sex, but I decided against it. I wanted to show some growth in Raihan and that he could, in fact, control himself when need be.
> 
> Thanks for reading! <3
> 
> Come be my friend on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/sagegallows)!


	7. SEVEN

Raihan wasn’t asleep for long before Charizard’s growls woke him up. He stiffened, his eyes snapping open to take in his dark surroundings. Leon heard Charizard’s rumbling, too, for he lifted his head from Raihan’s neck, looking in the direction the dragon had run off to. Raihan sat up in his bedroll, happy that he was still clothed. Leon kept close to Raihan as they looked in the direction of Charizard’s growls, tightly gripping his arm as he stared wide-eyed into the forest.

Raihan narrowed his eyes when a soft purple glow illuminated from the ground. It differed from the neon lights of the mushrooms and seemed to come from small orbs decorating the ground. Charizard’s growls faded away, and Raihan could hear the shuffling of the dragon walking away. Something had his attention, something the dragon perceived as a threat. Raihan felt cold dread run through his veins. He glanced at Leon, who was staring in wonder at the purple lights. “You’re seeing this, too, right?” Raihan whispered, and Leon nodded, not taking his eyes off the floating orbs.

Charizard’s growls faded into nothing, the dragon wandering off from the clearing and leaving Raihan and Leon alone. Raihan’s body tensed to prepare for an attack, instinctually placing a protective arm around Leon. The orbs lifted into the air, their purple glow softly illuminating the trees as they gently floated. They didn’t move, just hovered in midair, which was puzzling to Raihan. When Leon tapped his arm, he looked to see Leon pointing at something. When Raihan followed his gesture, he saw more purple lights in the distance, winding around trees and vegetation as far as the eye could see.

“Looks like they’re following some kind of path.” Raihan whispered. He slowly stood from his bedroll, and Leon followed, both men standing close together in case something was waiting in the trees for them to let their guard down. Raihan cautiously stepped forward, approaching a single purple orb hovering in the air. Leon watched with inquisitive eyes as Raihan reached a hand out, the tips of his fingers curiously touching the orb. The purple light flickered, the orb shuddering in the air before returning to its original state. None of the other orbs reacted when Raihan touched one, and they continued to levitate unbothered in the dark forest of Glimwood Tangle. “They seem to be harmless.” Raihan stated, examining his fingers and seeing no wounds from touching the orb. “I wonder what they could be?” he asked, turning to Leon, who looked just as puzzled as he was.

A roar in the distance caused Raihan to stiffen and Leon to jump. Raihan looked in the sound's direction, knowing that the roar belonged to Charizard. Raihan’s brows furrowed, recognizing the tone of Charizard’s roar as distressed. “Something’s wrong with him.” he declared, grabbing Leon’s hand before looking at him with determination. “You think these lights will show us the way?” he asked, and Leon shrugged. It couldn’t hurt to find out, especially when Charizard sounded like he needed them.

They exited the clearing and walked into the pitch blackness of the Glimwood Tangle. Raihan took the lead, allowing the purple lights to guide the way as Leon trailed close behind, their hands clasped tightly together so as not to lose each other. Thankfully, no imps or other creatures jumped out to attack them as they traveled through the forest. Raihan noticed with an unsettling feeling that the forest was uncharacteristically quiet, the only sound being the soft wind rustling through the trees above. Other than that, it was like Raihan and Leon were the only ones in the forest, which Raihan definitely knew wasn’t the case. Charizard made no other sound, and Raihan hoped he wasn’t too late. Why had Charizard run off, anyway? It was unlike him to stray too far when Raihan needed him. Raihan’s jaw clenched. He hoped Charizard was alright.

They followed the purple lights down a seemingly endless path, and Raihan couldn’t see anything beyond the lights and neon-lit mushrooms. Even the mushrooms were becoming less and less frequent, which worried Raihan. Were they headed right into a trap, one that Charizard fell for, too? That couldn’t be the case. Charizard was far too intelligent to fall for another predator’s traps. Unless Charizard was lured away by something else, and subsequently became bait for the less intelligent humans traveling with him. Raihan subconsciously squeezed Leon’s hand just to make sure he was still there. Although Raihan knew he couldn’t help it, Leon’s silence made traveling through the forest even more unsettling.

The purple lights ended their trail when Raihan and Leon stepped into a small clearing. Raihan looked up to see the trees had opened, and the moon was full and bright, illuminating them in a pale glow. Even Leon’s golden eyes paled under the moon’s light. Leon pointed at a campfire that was still smoking, meaning someone had been there recently. Raihan ignored what looked to be like animal remains around the fire, not wanting to know what the remains were used for. Raihan pulled Leon close to him at the sight of what looked to be a house within the thick trees on the other side of the clearing. It was difficult to tell what the house looked like under the moonlight and the shadows of the trees, but it looked to be old. There were no lights coming from within, and the trees seemed to grow within the house, thick branches and roots encapsulating the walls and holding the house in the forest's grasp. Leon tightly gripped Raihan’s arm, his eyes wide in fear from the mysterious aura coming from the house.

“My, my, what handsome young lads you two are.” 

Leon nearly jumped out of his skin and Raihan turned at the sound of an unfamiliar voice. Hiding in the trees at the edge of the clearing was the silhouette of a person, and Raihan narrowed his eyes to see better. The person slowly walked out into the clearing, and Raihan could see it was an old woman, back bowed and walking with a slight limp. She wore furs of purple and pink, and her eyes held wisdom far beyond both Raihan and Leon’s years. Her eyes sparkled at the sight of the two young men, a mischievous smirk on her old, withered face. “Ah, but if I were a few years younger, I would have thought this was a blessing. Not too often two strapping young men enter these forests.” she chuckled, approaching Raihan and Leon.

The trees rustled behind her, and Charizard stepped out, Raihan’s eyes widening at the sight of his dragon. “Char!” he breathed, taking a step forward, but abruptly stopped himself when he remembered he was in the presence of an unknown person, thinking it more wise to stay close to Leon instead.

The old woman smiled affectionately at Charizard, reaching up to gently pat the dragon’s neck. Charizard seemed to have no problem with the old woman, leaning into her touch with a content look on his face. “Your Charizard is an energetic fellow. I’ve never been around a dragon this young before.” she proclaimed, her eyes sparkling at Charizard’s youthful aura. “He gave my Togekiss quite a scare, but they got to playing soon enough.” as if on cue, a Togekiss came flying into the clearing, swirling around Charizard as the two playfully growled and nipped at each other. The old woman watched them play, but soon turned her attention back to Raihan and Leon, who were frozen in their spots. “Ah, forgive me, I haven’t introduced myself, have I?” she bowed as much as she could, a soft smile on her wrinkled lips. “The people of Galar have given me many names through the years, but I like Opal the best, so you can call me that.” 

Raihan tilted his head in confusion. “Are you…do you live here, in this forest?” he asked, wondering how such an old, frail woman could survive in a forest as dangerous as Glimwood.

The woman, Opal, nodded. “I’ve lived here for many years, even before it was called Glimwood Tangle. The people of Stow-on-Side gave it that name, and they are the same ones who started the rumor about a witch in the forest.” she smirked, looking thoroughly amused by such a rumor.

Realization dawned on Raihan. “You…you’re the witch, aren’t you?” he breathed, taking in the sight of Opal. She didn’t look like a witch capable of powerful magic, but Raihan knew looks could be deceiving.

Opal laughed, covering her mouth with her hand as she did so. “I would not call myself a witch, but if that is the word you wish to use, then I won’t stop you.” She avoided directly answering the question, which was all the answer Raihan needed. “I remember people used to come from all over Galar to look for me, but they stopped coming some time ago. Have you come seeking my counsel, or is our meeting nothing more than a coincidence?” 

Raihan glanced at Leon, who looked both afraid of Opal and amazed by her. She gave off a strange aura; something dark was hidden beneath her peaceful demeanor. Raihan didn’t like the glint in her eyes when she looked at Leon. “We were told about a powerful witch who might be able to help us.” Raihan answered. 

Opal raised a brow. “You are the King of Hammerlocke, are you not? Seems strange that you would ask a witch to help you.”

Raihan’s eyes widened. “How do you know who I am?” he asked, keeping a tight hold on Leon’s hand. He did not trust this witch.

Opal waved him off, chuckling at Raihan’s sudden change in attitude. “Now, don’t you worry, I can’t read minds or anything like that.” she admitted. “Your Charizard told me.” she gestured to the dragon who was rolling on his back as Togekiss playfully attacked him.

Raihan stared at Opal incredulously. “He…he  _ told  _ you?” he asked slowly. 

“Dragons are the wisest of animals. If you listen close enough, they will share their words with you.” Opal replied vaguely with a casual shrug of her shoulder. “Besides, your bloodline is very strong. You look exactly like the first King of Hammerlocke, who sought my counsel when he was young, too.” she smirked when Raihan’s lips parted in shock. “Your Charizard also told me that your companion here is the one in need of my assistance.”

Raihan nodded, turning to look at Leon. “His name is Leon. He’s my…companion.” he didn’t know how much he should tell Opal about his relationship with Leon, and Leon didn’t seem to mind the title. It was best to keep their relationship as private as possible, they both knew that.

Opal rolled her eyes. “Oh, please, you need not be so formal. I can feel the lust you have for each other all the way over here.” she laughed at the horrified look on both Raihan and Leon’s faces. “Oh, to be young again. It’s been so many years since I’ve been embraced so passionately.” she mused, and Raihan held back a laugh at the grimace on Leon’s face. Opal slowly walked towards the house built within the trees, gesturing for Raihan and Leon to follow. “Come now, let’s go inside. I’ll need to sit down soon.” 

Raihan guided Leon into the house once Opal let them inside, having to dip his head to keep from hitting the ceiling. The house was clearly not made for tall people. Opal pointed to a small, wooden table with two chairs, indicating for her guests to sit there. When Raihan and Leon settled on the old, creaky chairs, Opal kept her back to them as she moved around her small house, picking up various items and examining them before either putting them back down or holding on to them. A fire roared to life on its own, surprising Raihan and Leon, but Opal seemed unbothered.

“What seems to be the problem, Leon?” Opal asked, not looking at Leon as she spoke. She kept rummaging around her tiny house, slowly walking in circles around her guests as she did so.

Leon looked at Raihan, who answered for him. “He can’t speak. When he was… _ given  _ to me, I was told he was mute, but I think he actually had a curse put on him.” Raihan explained, watching Opal as she moved around her house.

“What makes you think that?” Opal asked, standing on the tips of her toes to reach into a cabinet above her head, blindly searching for something within. 

“When he tries to speak, these… _ chains  _ appear around his neck, but they look like they’re under his skin. They hurt him when he tries to make noise, like they’re strangling him.” Raihan winced at the memory of the first time he saw the chains on Leon’s neck. Leon gently squeezed his hand, a reassuring expression on his face.

Opal stopped moving. “Chains?” she asked, slowly turning to look at Leon. Raihan couldn’t read her expression. She walked towards Leon, standing close to him as she stared down at him. “Show me.” she ordered.

Raihan wanted to refuse, wanted to tell Leon that he shouldn’t, but he knew that Opal was just trying to help. He couldn’t look as Leon tilted his head back to expose his neck and opened his mouth, a strangled exhale leaving him as he tried to speak. He could see the glow of golden chains in the corner of his eye, but he thankfully couldn’t see the pained expression on Leon’s face. The chains faded away when Opal gestured for Leon to stop.

Opal’s amusement and peaceful demeanor from before was gone as she stared at Leon’s neck. “That is old magic. Old magic, indeed.” she stated, her voice low as she spoke. She sounded as if she was trying to control her anger, which worried Raihan. “Your Leon was taken to a witch who has very questionable morals.” she gently gripped Leon’s chin, keeping his head tilted back, as if she could see the chains even when they were no longer visible. “It is shameful for me to admit, but I used to practice such magic. It was normal back then. Kings and queens would keep their servants silent and submissive by taking away their voice. It was done so to prevent them from telling others about abuse, and it kept the servants from communicating with each other and revolting.” Opal ignored the horrified look on Raihan’s face, and the worried look on Leon’s. Opal looked to Raihan, meeting his teal eyes with her own gray ones. “For your Leon to have had this done to him, it means he is meant to be hiding something from you.” 

Raihan looked to Leon, who looked back at him with terror in his bright golden eyes.  _ He’s hiding something. _ But what? The thought was always at the back of Raihan’s mind, wondering if there was something that Leon was hiding from him, something that Raihan was never meant to know. Raihan pondered leaving Opal’s house and Glimwood at that very moment, taking Leon back to Hammerlocke and pretending none of this ever happened, as long as it meant that Raihan didn’t have to know what secret Leon was hiding from him. But that wouldn’t be fair to Leon, the man he cared deeply for.

“Can you fix it?” Raihan asked, his voice strained. He kept his eyes on Leon.

Opal nodded once, turning away from the young men again as she approached the fire. Raihan turned his gaze away from Leon to watch Opal work. He could still feel Leon’s gaze on him. She grabbed various items on her way, approaching a large cauldron hanging above the fire. Opal said nothing as she tossed the items into the cauldron, a puff of pink smoke coming from the cauldron as she mixed the ingredients together. She worked diligently, her hands moving with such ease that only came with years of experience, mixing the ingredients together with a large wooden spoon. She reached over for a small cup, using a ladle to scoop up the pink liquid and pour it into the cup, filling it to the brim. She walked back to Leon, holding the cup out for him. The cup steamed pink smoke, the pink liquid glittering in the darkness of the Glimwood Witch’s house. “Drink it all.” she ordered.

Leon took the cup with shaking hands, sparing one last glance at Raihan. He closed his eyes as he brought the cup to his lips, Raihan watching as Leon drank the pink liquid, tilting his head back to make sure he got every last drop. He placed the empty cup on the table, keeping his eyes on the cup instead of looking at Raihan. He pursed his lips, looking uncertain about what he was supposed to be feeling. He looked to Opal for guidance.

Opal nodded reassuringly. “You can speak now. It may be difficult, depending on how long it’s been since you could, but you can try it.” 

Leon nodded, taking in a deep breath as he finally met Raihan’s gaze. Raihan was looking at him intently, waiting for Leon to say something,  _ anything _ . He worked his jaw, his lips forming words but not speaking, his brows furrowed as he tried to get his mouth to work. He sighed quietly, his lips moving silently as if to remind himself how to use his mouth. Then, finally, with a determined look in his eye, he stared right into Raihan’s teal gaze.

“Raihan.” he whispered, his voice scratchy.

Raihan’s lips parted, his eyes widening at the sound of his own name coming from Leon, at the sound of Raihan’s name said in Leon’s  _ voice _ . It was scratchy and quiet after so long of not being able to speak, but just that one word alone told Raihan how lovely Leon’s voice was, how amazing it would be to have him say his name again and again and  _ again _ . 

Raihan nearly lunged over the table to pull Leon into a tight embrace, his smile so wide it nearly hurt. “You can speak!” he exclaimed, amazed that Opal’s drink worked. He heard Leon exhale a laugh, wrapping his arms around Raihan to return the embrace. Raihan held Leon’s face in his hands, bringing their foreheads together as he continued to smile like a fool. “I never thought I’d get to hear your voice.” he breathed.

“I…” Leon tried. “It’s not easy.”

Raihan laughed breathlessly. “That doesn’t matter. We have plenty of time to get you used to talking again.” he declared.

Opal cleared her throat, walking behind Leon as she headed towards the door of her house. “I’ll leave you two boys alone. I need to sit down, and you’re taking up the only chairs in this house.” she chuckled, patting Leon’s shoulder reassuringly. Neither of them looked at Opal, keeping their happy gazes on each other. “If you need me, I’ll be with Charizard. Hopefully he won’t mind if I sit on him.” she mumbled to herself as she exited her house, closing the door quietly behind her and leaving Raihan and Leon alone.

Raihan gripped Leon’s face, placing a hard, meaningful kiss on his lips. Leon smiled into the kiss, holding Raihan’s wrists as they pulled away, their lips softly sliding together as they parted. Raihan looked into Leon’s golden eyes, his thumb brushing Leon’s cheekbone. “Tell me everything.” he whispered.

Leon’s brows furrowed, the corners of his mouth turning downwards. “You…you won’t like it.” he whispered.

Raihan felt his heart drop into his stomach. Whatever Leon was hiding, it wasn’t good. “I can handle it.” Raihan stated, but he wasn’t sure if he was telling the truth.

Leon sighed, pulling away from Raihan’s embrace to sit back in his chair. Raihan did the same, staring at Leon with a concerned expression. Leon wouldn’t meet his gaze, keeping his eyes on the empty cup that gave him back his ability to speak. “What do you want to know?” he asked, Raihan barely able to hear Leon’s soft voice from this distance.

Raihan knew the first question that he needed an answer to. “Who did this to you?” he asked, his voice firm. 

Leon sighed, looking at his lap as he fidgeted his fingers together. “Lord Rose.” he answered.

Raihan’s brows knitted together. “But you told me he didn’t.”

Leon nodded. “Technically, he didn't,” he explained. “Opal was right, it was a witch who did this to me, but it was Lord Rose who paid her to put a curse on me.” 

Raihan felt rage building up inside him. He was going to kill Lord Rose of Postwick with his bare hands. “Why?” he asked. “Why did he have a curse put on you?”

Leon was quiet a moment before answering. “He thought I would tell you everything once he was gone.” 

Raihan’s hands balled into fists. “What didn’t he want you telling me?”

“His plan.” Leon whispered.

“What was his plan?” Raihan asked through gritted teeth.

Leon paused.

Raihan waited with barely contained rage.

“To take the throne.” Leon revealed.

“ _ What _ ?!” Raihan growled.

Leon flinched at the sound, slightly moving away from Raihan. Raihan tried to calm himself down, but found it difficult to do so. “He…he knew you were single, and he knew you rejected marriage proposals outright, so he thought…” Leon swallowed, his voice rough. “He would give you a pleasure slave, a servant who could get closer to you than any other servant could. Once you fell for me and made me your consort, he was going to reveal that he was my father so that would give him ties to the throne. Once it was official, he was going to have you assassinated, and he would take the throne through me.” 

Raihan’s jaw clenched, his teeth grinding together. “Is he your father?” he asked slowly.

Leon shook his head. “My father died when I was very young. I’m…I’m the head of the household.” he admitted. “Lord Rose has no children, but we look enough alike that he figured no one would question it.” Leon was quiet for a moment before speaking again. “I wasn’t his first choice for you.”

Raihan hated this conversation. He wanted it to end, but he had to know. He had to know everything. “What do you mean?” he asked, his expression blank to keep the anger from showing through.

Leon still wouldn’t look at him. Raihan wished he would. “He wanted my little brother.” he whispered, his voice cracking. “He would have been easier to manipulate.” 

“So why did he choose you instead?” Raihan asked.

“I wasn’t going to let Lord Rose take my baby brother.” Leon declared. Raihan noticed his brows furrow and his jaw tense. “He’s only eleven.” Raihan’s stomach lurched at the statement. “I fought against Lord Rose, telling him he couldn’t have Hop. Then he threatened to take our land away.” Raihan’s heart broke at the sound of Leon’s cracking voice, not from being unused, but from sadness. “If Lord Rose had taken our land from us, we’d have nothing. No shelter, no food, no income….” he trailed, reaching up to wipe tears away from his face. Raihan reached over to squeeze Leon’s shoulder reassuringly. “So I offered myself in place of my brother. I said you would probably prefer an adult over a child, and Lord Rose eventually agreed. The only thing was, Hop was training to become a servant, and I had no training. I was a farmer, I wasn’t meant to be in a noble’s house, and I didn’t know the intricacies of being a servant. Hop knew how to keep quiet, and he was young enough that he could be scared into submission, but I was too old to be manipulated. That’s why Lord Rose took my voice away, because he couldn’t trust me to keep quiet.” Leon kept his eyes on his fidgeting fingers in his lap. “He trained me on how to be a pleasure slave, he trained me on how…how to please you.”

Leon stopped talking, and Raihan was quiet. He kept his hand on Leon’s shoulder, processing all he had said. He knew that Lord Rose wasn’t ethical in his procuring of Leon, but he had no idea it was  _ this  _ bad. His hatred for Lord Rose grew at the thought of him touching Leon, “teaching” Leon how to be a pleasure slave. The thought of that disgusting bastard putting his hands on Leon was enough to send him over the edge, but he tried to calm himself down with a sharp exhale through his nose.

“I’m going to kill that bastard.” Raihan snarled.

Leon finally looked at Raihan, a panicked expression on his face. “You can’t!” he cried softly. Raihan gave him an incredulous look. “If he dies, then our land will go to someone else, and if I’m not there when the new Lord takes over, then he’ll take our land. I’m the head of the household, and I have to sign the lease over to the new Lord. My mother, my little brother…they’ll lose everything if I’m not there to sign the lease if a new Lord takes over.” he explained, his voice laced with desperation. “I can’t have them lose everything because of me.”

Raihan stared at Leon. He knew how lucky he was to be born into royalty, that his status made his life much easier than others, but it still shocked him to see how difficult life was for peasants. Raihan thought of Leon’s family, which was just his mother and his brother, alone in Postwick in the grips of Lord Rose. “Is your family alright without you?” he asked quietly.

Leon sighed, a sad expression on his face. He shook his head slightly. “My mother is getting old, and she was never as good at farming as I was. And Hop, he wasn’t trained to be a farmer. I just hope they were able to get enough crops to last through the winter.”

Raihan looked down at Leon’s hands, his fingers wringing together at the thought of his family starving without him. “Can I ask you one more question?” Raihan felt his throat tighten as he spoke.

“Of course, Raihan.” Leon whispered, and Raihan’s heart melted at the sound of his name coming from such a beautiful voice.

“You were…trained…to be a pleasure slave for me.” he spoke through gritted teeth. “But…was everything else, all of the…”  _ touches, kisses, smiles, embraces…love,  _ “Was that part of your training?” he hated how his voice cracked when he asked that.

Leon met Raihan’s gaze, bright golden eyes meeting bright teal ones. Leon reached across the table to grab Raihan’s hand, lacing their fingers together. A small smile appeared on Leon’s face. “No.” he replied. “That was…that was all me.”

Raihan smiled, his lips tightly closed as he basked in the glow of Leon caring for him, maybe even  _ loving  _ him. “Good to know.” he croaked, his thumb brushing the tough skin of Leon’s hand. Hands made for working, not for pleasing. 

Raihan wanted to end it there, wanted to kiss and hold Leon and whisk him back to Hammerlocke where they could live happily ever after. He wanted to get to know Leon more, to hold him close every night and adore the man like the gift he was. He wanted to spoil Leon, to treat him like a prince and ensure that his hands would never be put to hard labor again. He wanted Leon to forget about his life before they met, his life in Postwick, his family starving in his absence. But that wouldn’t be fair to Leon, the man he cared deeply for.

“Go home.” Raihan ordered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because everyone loves cliffhangers, right? :)
> 
> Thanks for reading! <3
> 
> Come be my friend on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/sagegallows)!


	8. EIGHT

Leon fought him until the moment Raihan climbed on Charizard’s back and flew away, out of the forest and leaving him behind. Opal promised she would get Leon safely to Postwick, and Raihan had to take her word for it. If he hesitated, wondered if he should take Leon back to Postwick himself, then he knew he wouldn’t go through with it. It was best to leave Leon in Opal’s care, with Raihan leaving for Hammerlocke on Charizard’s back. Raihan’s heart broke as Leon called for him, the wind wiping away his tears as Charizard flew up high into the sky, sunlight bathing them as they exited the dense forest of Glimwood Tangle. Even Opal looked saddened by the turn of events, but she was a wise woman, and she understood why Raihan made the decision he did.

Raihan hoped that one day Leon would understand as well. It was for the best. Leon needed to return to his family, he was needed in Postwick. Raihan just hoped that Leon could undo the damage that was caused by his absence. Raihan promised Leon that he would deal with Lord Rose if he questioned why Raihan released him. Raihan already had plans for setting out an arrest warrant for Lord Rose; plotting the assassination of a king was punishable by death. The bastard deserved it, for everything he did to Leon. The only good thing that came out of Lord Rose’s greediness, Raihan mused, was that he got to meet Leon, and for a brief time, he was loved.

He ignored the quizzical stares he received from everyone in the castle when he returned to Hammerlocke without Leon. None of them asked, for it wasn’t their business, but Raihan also made no effort to explain what happened either. Instead, he declared Lord Rose of Postwick to be a wanted man by the kingdom of Hammerlocke for conspiring to assassinate the king, and he would be executed the moment he stepped foot in Hammerlocke. He also ordered a search party for Lord Rose, but Lord Rose was a slimy little bastard, and Raihan knew it wouldn’t be easy to find him. Lord Rose’s arrest warrant and Leon’s disappearance made the castle staff wonder if the two were connected, since Leon was a gift from Lord Rose, but Raihan didn’t entertain the rumors. None of them would know what happened to Leon, and Raihan wished he could forget the man as easily as they did. 

ꭥꭥꭥꭥ

Four months passed.

Whoever said time heals all wounds was an idiot in Raihan’s mind.

Everyone else seemed to forget all about Leon, the man who entered Raihan’s life and changed it forever. No one spoke his name, no one questioned his whereabouts, and, if anyone saw him in Postwick during their search for Lord Rose, they never mentioned it to Raihan. Lord Rose of Postwick was never found, and the search ended after the first month upon Raihan’s request. He was sure Lord Rose knew the King of Hammerlocke had an arrest warrant out for him, and would most likely never set foot in Hammerlocke again. Raihan just hoped Lord Rose didn’t take it out on Leon. He hoped Leon was okay, and that his family survived the winter. 

Raihan became even more closed-off than before he met Leon. He was a capable king, but everyone in Hammerlocke knew that it was best to leave Raihan alone. His court would throw parties, but he wouldn’t stay longer than needed. The marriage proposals from Hammerlocke slowly stopped, which was the only good thing that came out of Raihan losing Leon. Raihan threw himself into his work to keep his mind off Leon. He worked tirelessly on making Hammerlocke a safe and thriving kingdom, but Raihan’s work left him drained, and he couldn’t keep his mind off Leon no matter how hard he tried.

“Your Majesty?” a member of the court got Raihan’s attention. 

He snapped out of his thoughts, lifting his head to glance at the members of his court sitting at the table with him. This was happening a lot. His thoughts would wander to Leon, and he would lose track of time, even if he was in an important meeting with his court. He stood up straighter in his seat, forcing himself to focus on the task at hand. “I’m sorry, what were you saying?”

The court member spoke again, repeating what Raihan hadn’t heard before. “We received a marriage proposal, Sire, from—”

“You know what to do.” Raihan interrupted, his lip curling slightly in a snarl.  _ Would these people ever figure out I don’t want to marry? _ “You don’t need my permission to send them a rejection letter.”

“It is from President Lance of Kanto, Your Highness.” the court member stated. Raihan’s court was silent as they processed the news. 

Raihan’s heart stopped.

Kanto was the oldest region in the world. They did not have kingdoms, but a democracy, with each sector of the region freely governing themselves, but they elected officials to oversee the region’s sectors. President Lance was the highest official in Kanto, and he was a dragon tamer like Raihan. Kanto officials never sent their children to marry in other regions, and President Lance only had one daughter. For such a powerful person to want Raihan to marry his only daughter was…unheard of. “Why?” Raihan asked, his eyes wide. He was just as shocked as the rest of the court was.

The court member took out a letter from his pocket, the letter bearing the insignia of President Lance of Kanto. He handed the letter over to Raihan, who took it without a word. “He wishes to form an alliance with Hammerlocke. He is concerned about the dragons in Kanto and other regions. He says they’re going extinct, and he wishes to breed his dragons with Galar dragons to save the species. He was especially interested in your Charizard.” the court member explained as Raihan read the letter which repeated everything the court member was saying. “He knows of our customs of forming alliances through marriage, and he seems to respect that. He only has one daughter, and he is willing to see her married off to you to form the alliance.” he paused before speaking again. “You are the only dragon tamer in Galar, so you are his only option.”

Raihan read and re-read the letter repeatedly, his lips mouthing the words as his eyes scanned the parchment. President Lance’s offer of alliance seemed legitimate, and that he had no other ulterior motives besides wishing to save the dragon species. Raihan placed the letter on the table, looking up and gazing into the eyes of his court. They waited in silence for what he would say to the proposal. He rejected every marriage proposal offered to him since the moment he was crowned, but this was greater than a proposal to a simple noble girl. This was a chance at an alliance with the oldest region in the world, and this would elevate Raihan’s status as a king to be respected. Raihan could see the unanimous thought his court had as they waited for his answer.

_ Surely he’s not stupid enough to reject such an offer, is he? _

Raihan pictured a wedding in Hammerlocke’s chapel. It would be a grand celebration for Hammerlocke. He pictured himself dressed in his finest regal attire, a crown on his head as he married President Lance’s daughter. In his mind, she was beautiful. With pretty long hair and pretty long eyelashes, with a soft smile and gentle eyes, with a compassionate spirit and tender hands, reaching out to touch him. She would treat him well. She would stand beside him as the Queen of Hammerlocke. They would make a beautiful couple, a couple fit for ruling a kingdom together. Then he thought of long lavender hair and sparkling golden eyes, of a warm smile and understanding expression, of rough, callused hands touching him, holding him,  _ loving him _ . Raihan thought of staring into those eyes for the rest of his life, of leaning on those lean, well-muscled shoulders when the weight of the kingdom was too much for him to handle alone. And his love would be there beside him, a light in the darkness, a golden ray of sunshine on his cold, gloomy life.

“There is no other option?” Raihan asked, his voice strained. He could almost see members of his court who wanted to roll their eyes in frustration. How much longer would they have to deal with a stubborn king?

“I—I don’t believe so, My Lord.” The court member who brought the proposal to Raihan’s attention stated, looking shocked that Raihan didn’t outright agree to the proposal. “It is tradition, after all, for alliances to be made only in the event of a marriage. It is how Galar has always done things.”

Tradition.

Raihan grit his teeth at that damn word.  _ Tradition  _ got him into this mess in the first place.  _ Tradition  _ kept him from refusing Lord Rose’s gift,  _ tradition  _ kept him from making Leon into a regular servant instead of a pleasure slave,  _ tradition  _ kept Leon close to him and made Raihan fall for him,  _ tradition  _ forced Raihan to keep his feelings for Leon a secret and kept him from showing Leon off to everyone,  _ tradition  _ kept Leon from being anything more than a pleasure slave to Leon,  _ tradition  _ made Raihan a king and Leon a peasant, and  _ tradition  _ made Raihan care for and adore Leon, but  _ tradition  _ kept him from expressing his true feelings towards Leon.

The man he loved.

It was like a string had been pulled so tight it snapped, cutting something loose inside Raihan that previously had control over him. Raihan slammed his hands on the table, surprising his court as he abruptly stood from his chair, his teal eyes burning with rage and frustration and  _ desperation _ . “I don’t care about tradition.” he growled low in his throat, his fangs exposed as he snarled the words. “Tradition has done nothing for me, and I won’t let it control me any longer.” he declared, his nails digging into the wooden table, scratching the surface.

“But, Sire, you must—”

“I am the  _ king _ !” Raihan spat. “I will not be dictated by something that does not exist! I say fuck tradition, and fuck your expectations of me!” he pointed at his court, the older men who tried to rule over him despite  _ him  _ being their king. “You will respect me, you will respect my decisions, and you will support me during my reign!” he slapped his fist on the table again, the table shaking with the force of his blow. “Tell Lance he can have my dragons. He can come to Kanto and breed his dragons with mine all he wants, but I will  _ not  _ marry his daughter. We will form an alliance without it.” he ordered.

“B-but, Your Majesty,” a member of the court squeaked, visibly shrinking into his chair as Raihan glared at him. “how will we know if President Lance’s intentions are true if he does not give us something in return? If he does not have to worry about his daughter's safety, he could ransack Hammerlocke—”

“We’ll just have to trust him.” Raihan interrupted, his eyes narrowed into slits as he spoke. “He has done nothing of the sort before, and I have no reason to think he will betray us in any way.” Raihan stepped away from the table, his hands balled into fists. He decided he would get a new court. He would appoint younger noblemen, ones who shared Raihan’s views and beliefs. These older men who served his father were doing nothing for him other than bringing him down. But that could wait. He had other business to attend to. “Tell Lance my plans, and that I will gladly welcome him into Hammerlocke.” he turned his back on his court, heading towards the door to leave the courtroom.

“Sire, where are you going?” his court asked.

Raihan didn’t look back as he left the courtroom, his jaw tense and his eyes narrowed as he left tradition behind. “To Postwick.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I planned on having Raihan and Leon separated for multiple chapters, but I decided not to torture y'all lol
> 
> Thanks for reading! <3
> 
> Come be my friend on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/sagegallows)!


	9. NINE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not British so I don't feel comfortable using words like "mum" like they do in the games lol

Raihan was sure he gave the good people of Postwick quite the scare when they looked up into the sky that day to see Charizard flying over them. He was sure he gave them even more of a scare when he began pounding on doors and asking if any of them knew Leon. Judging by their panicked expressions, he had quite the manic look on his face as he demanded to know Leon’s whereabouts. Postwick ended up being larger than Raihan initially thought, and the peasants lived so far away from each other they were unfamiliar with the farmers who lived over two houses away from them. Every house he went to claimed not to know Leon, and after a few hours of searching, Raihan wondered if he would ever find Leon. A nagging thought in the back of his mind wondered if Leon lied about being from Postwick to cover for Lord Rose, and that he lived somewhere far away, somewhere Raihan would never find him.

Charizard wandered off when they came to the last house Raihan would investigate before ending the search for the day. The sun was setting, and soon the farmlands of Postwick would be shrouded in darkness. These people lived a simple life without extravagant pleasantries, and Raihan wouldn’t bother them during the night after working out in the fields all day. He sluggishly approached the small house, lazily knocking on the door, his hopes of finding Leon dwindling with each peasant he spoke to.

A young boy answered the door. Raihan’s height startled him, looking up at him with bright golden eyes. Raihan wanted to laugh at himself. He was seeing Leon in everyone, hallucinating his golden eyes in the small boy’s. Earlier that day he saw the back of a girl with lavender hair and nearly attacked her thinking it was Leon, but once she turned around he halted his celebration, his heart breaking more once he realized she wasn’t Leon, and apologizing after giving her a fright. Raihan slumped forward as the boy examined him. He wondered what kind of picture he painted to the boy. He didn’t look like a king, that much was certain. He probably looked like a manic beggar.

“Hello?” the boy greeted warily, his voice soft as he stared up at Raihan. “Can I help you?”

“I’m looking for someone.” Raihan repeated the same phrases over and over throughout the day. “I’m hoping you can help me.”

The boy shrugged. “I can try.” 

Raihan supposed that was better than slamming the door in his face like some other peasants did. “Do you know a man named Leon? Long hair, golden eyes, about this tall?” he described Leon as simply as he could to the peasant boy, gesturing with his hand of how tall Leon was compared to him. 

The boy’s brows furrowed as he tilted his head to the side. “Leon?” he asked. “Why do you wanna know where Leon—?”

The sound of a loud roar interrupted the boy. Raihan and the boy looked in the direction of the roar, the boy’s eyes widening in fear and Raihan sighing to himself. Charizard had gotten into something again. Hopefully he hadn’t killed any more livestock. Raihan already owed multiple family's money to replace the Wooloo’s Charizard killed earlier that day. 

“What was that?” the boy asked, a terrified look on his face as he looked towards the back of the house where Charizard’s roar came from.

Raihan waved off the boy’s fears, stepping away from the house to search for Charizard. “Sorry, that’s my Charizard. I’ll go get him. Tell your parents I’ll pay for any damages he caused.” he explained as he made his way towards the back of the house. The boy’s eyes lit up when Raihan mentioned Charizard, putting his fear aside to get a glimpse of the magnificent dragon. 

As Raihan rounded the corner of the house, he saw the gigantic orange body of Charizard in the livestock area of the farm. Raihan sighed, mentally counting how many Wooloo’s he killed that day. He supposed bringing a carnivorous dragon into a farming community was a bad idea. Charizard had his back to him, his wings spread wide as he huffed and chirruped at whatever had his attention. Raihan’s eyes narrowed. Charizard wasn’t acting like he normally did when he hunted something. He was acting excited, like he was feeling…playful? Raihan hoped he hadn’t picked up the habit of tormenting his food before he ate it. “Char,” he called. “what are you doing?”

Charizard turned around with a cheerful expression on his face. He huffed at Raihan, stepping to the side to reveal what had him all riled up. Raihan stopped moving, his lips parting and his eyes widening as he saw Leon standing there with an equally surprised look on his face. His long hair was tied back, his clothes were dirty, and he was barefoot. Raihan had never seen a more beautiful person in his life. Charizard was buzzing with excitement, proud of himself for finding Leon before Raihan could. 

“Leon,” Raihan whispered. 

“Lee, this guy was looking for you.” the boy piped up, pointing at Raihan before looking over at Charizard. His golden eyes—the same color as Leon’s—sparkled when he laid eyes on Charizard. “Woah, it really is a Charizard!” he exclaimed, amazed at the sight of the large dragon.

“Hop,” Raihan wanted to cry at the sound of Leon’s voice. It was much stronger than he last heard it, and it was wonderful. “go inside. Mom’s probably done with dinner by now.” 

The boy, Hop— _must be his little brother he mentioned_ —groaned loudly. “Aw, but I wanna play with Charizard!” Charizard perked up at Hop’s words, looking eager to play with a new friend. “I’ll probably never see a dragon in person again!”

Leon took his eyes off Raihan, looking at Hop with a small smile on his face. Raihan wanted to fall on his knees in front of Leon at the sight of that smile he loved so much. “I think Charizard can fit inside the house. Take him in there and see how loud mom screams when she sees him.” a mischievous glint flickered in his eyes. _This is how he acts with his family. This is who he really is._

Hop laughed with joy, running over to Charizard and grabbing his hand. “Yeah, c’mon, big guy, let’s go give mom a heart attack!” he chuckled evilly, and Charizard happily followed Hop into the house, having to squeeze through the human-sized door to get in, leaving Raihan and Leon alone in the farmlands of Postwick.

Raihan took a small step forward, wanting to rush towards Leon and tackle him to the ground, but he had to control himself. “Leon,” he repeated.

The smile faded from Leon’s lips as he looked at Raihan again. “Why are you here?” he asked, his voice strong and deep. 

Raihan pursed his lips, his brows furrowing as he stood his ground. He wasn’t surprised that Leon wasn’t ecstatic to see him. It had been five months, and they hadn’t separated in the happiest way. “I came to get you.” he stated.

Leon raised a brow. “Get me?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest. He had bulked up since Raihan last saw him, his body sculpted into the body needed for hard labor on a farm. Raihan guessed he probably looked like that before he became a pleasure slave, before Lord Rose formed him into what he thought a pleasure slave should look like.

“I missed you.” Raihan whispered, feeling out of place in the farmlands of Postwick. He realized how different the lives he and Leon had, how differently they were raised. Raihan was raised to be a king, and Leon was raised to be a peasant farmer. Tradition dictated that their paths were never meant to cross.

_Tradition be damned._

Leon faltered, his eyes softening at Raihan’s words. “I missed you, too.” he spoke, his voice calm and quiet. His golden eyes flashed with hurt as he looked at Raihan. “Do you know how much it hurt when you left me in Glimwood?”

“I had to.” Raihan replied quickly, taking another step towards Leon. “Your family needed you.”

The corners of Leon’s mouth curled in a frown. “Yeah, I know.” he sighed. “It took a long time for me to understand that, but I get it now. And I thank you for that. They wouldn’t have made it through the winter without me.” he explained. “But you could have at least _said_ that instead of telling me to go home and leaving me behind.” Leon wore a small smile, but it was humorless.

Raihan nodded, looking down at his feet in embarrassment. “I know. But if I stayed behind even a second longer, I wouldn’t have been able to let you go.” he looked back up at Leon, wanting to express his concern and love for Leon. “I thought I could live without you, but I can’t. But…I know what we had was just an illusion.” he admitted quietly.

Leon’s head tilted, his eyes narrowing. “What do you mean?”

Raihan laughed humorlessly. “You were just doing your job. If you felt anything for me, it was only because you had to.”

Leon snorted, looking at Raihan like he was an idiot. “I told you before, everything I did outside of sex was because I genuinely liked you.” Raihan’s heart stopped when Leon took a step forward. “I’ll admit, at first I only had sex with you because I felt like I had to. I was scared if I didn’t please you then you would send me back to Lord Rose, and he would go after Hop like he originally planned, but after a while…” Leon smirked, and Raihan nearly fainted at the sight. “the sex was too good for me _not_ to enjoy. And once I got to know you, it became something I did out of my love for you. It was a way to bring us closer, for me to express my feelings without words.”

Raihan’s breath hitched at Leon’s words, and his eyes widened. “Love?” he whispered.

Leon smiled, melting Raihan’s heart. He would never get over that beautiful smile. “Yeah, love.” he whispered, taking another step towards Raihan. They were nearly close enough to touch each other. Raihan’s heart pounded in his chest. “It would be hard for me not to love a man like you.” he slowly reached a hand up, gently cupping Raihan’s jaw as his eyes sparkled with love and adoration. “I see why it’s so easy to fall in love with a king. You’re very charismatic when you want to be.” he chuckled.

“ _Leon_ ,” Raihan breathed, reaching up to grab Leon’s wrist with one hand, the other reaching forward to grab Leon’s waist to pull him closer, bringing their bodies together after so long apart. Raihan felt his body relax for the first time in five months, felt a weight lift off his shoulders once he held Leon in his arms again. He bent forward, bringing his mouth to Leon’s and moaning in happiness, smiling at the feel of having Leon’s lips on his again. Leon chuckled into the kiss, sliding his arms around Raihan’s neck to bring them closer. “I love you, _so much_ .” Raihan whispered into Leon’s lips, tears welling in his eyes at the overwhelming feeling of being with Leon again. Of being with the man he _loved_ again. Raihan’s life was so empty without Leon. He never wanted to feel lonely again.

“And I love you.” Leon smiled, softly kissing Raihan before pulling away. Raihan tightened his grip around Leon’s waist, refusing to let him move too far away. A shrill scream coming from within Leon’s house interrupted their happiness. Leon laughed. “I guess mom met Charizard.” he looked fondly at his house, a small smile on his face. “We should go inside before she attacks him with a ladle. We can talk more after dinner.” he said, holding Raihan’s hand in his and guiding him towards the house. 

Raihan followed behind, his smile so wide it hurt his cheeks, his heart no longer broken.

ꭥꭥꭥꭥ

“You sleep in a barn?”

“Welcome to the life of a peasant, Your Majesty.” Leon laughed as he guided Raihan into his family’s barn. The barn was small, crammed with feed and tools, and in the far corner was a meager bed made of a blanket and hay. “There’s only one bedroom in the house, and Hop sleeps on the couch, so there isn’t any room for me.” Leon explained as Raihan trailed behind him, taking in his surroundings with wonder. He knew so little about peasant life. “You have no idea how happy I was when I slept in a proper bed in the castle for the first time, no matter how frightening the circumstances were.” Leon chuckled, trying to joke about the events that led him to Hammerlocke castle.

Raihan grasped Leon’s hand, squeezing it tightly. “You’ll never have to feel that way again.” he promised, a low growl rumbling in his throat.

Leon turned to look at Raihan with a slight smile, his face barely visible through the dimly lit lanterns in the barn. He took Raihan’s other hand, lacing their fingers together. “I know. Thank you.” he whispered.

Raihan wanted to tackle Leon, shove him onto the pathetic excuse for a bed and show him how much he missed him, but he had to control himself. There was so much to catch up on, so much to talk about. “Have you heard from Lord Rose since you returned?”

Leon shook his head, turning his back to Raihan as he headed for the bed again. “I was scared he would show up once he found out I was back in Postwick, but he never came. I’m assuming you had something to do with that.” he looked at Raihan over his shoulder, an amused glint in his eye. 

“There’s an arrest warrant out for him. He’s wanted for conspiring to kill the king.” Raihan let himself be led to the bed. Leon sat down first, settling against the wall of the barn, and Raihan took the other end of the bed. Raihan wondered how Leon could sleep on something so itchy and lumpy. “I had a search party look for him, but they couldn’t find him. Wherever he is, he’s far away from here.”

Leon nodded in understanding, a solemn look on his face, keeping his eyes on their joined hands. “I guess he knows I told you of his plans.”

“He won’t hurt you ever again.” Raihan declared, causing Leon to look up at him. Raihan’s breath caught every time he looked at Leon that day. He had forgotten how beautiful Leon was. “And your family…I’ll make sure they’re okay, too.”

That small, sad smile was back on Leon’s face. “You want me to go back to Hammerlocke with you.” he said, and Raihan nodded even though it wasn’t a question. Leon sighed, looking around at the barn. “You know I have to take care of my family. I’m all they have. Just because the winter’s over doesn’t mean they don’t still need me.”

Raihan leaned forward in the bed, wanting so badly to kiss Leon, to wrap his arms around him and hold him forever. “I’ll do anything. I’ll bring your family to Hammerlocke, I’ll buy the land myself, I don’t care, I just…” Raihan felt his throat tighten, desperation clear on his face. “I can’t be away from you anymore.”

Leon laughed under his breath. “My mom would hate Hammerlocke. She likes it here, out in the fields. And Hop has too much energy to stay cooped up in a castle all day. He’s taken to becoming a farmer since I’ve gotten back; he doesn’t want to be a servant anymore.” 

“And you?” Raihan asked, his voice barely above a whisper as he leaned in close to Leon, wanting to bask in the warmth of the man he loved.

Leon’s golden eyes held bittersweet love. “If only you weren’t a king, or if I weren’t a peasant.” he whispered. “We could be together.”

“Leon,” Raihan’s voice broke. “ _please_.”

“It would ruin your reputation if word got out you were committed to a peasant, one that used to be a pleasure slave, no less.” Leon remarked. “No one would take you seriously.”

“ _Fuck them._ ” Raihan growled, surprising Leon by the intensity in his eyes. “I rule my kingdom fairly, I treat my people well, and they…” he sighed in frustration, hanging his head low. “they should give me this. They _will_ let me have this, have _you_ , whether they like it or not.”

Leon was quiet for a moment. “You really want me?” he whispered, his voice shaking.

Raihan looked up, seeing Leon’s beautiful golden eyes brimmed with tears. He removed his hands from Leon’s grasp, bringing them up to cup the sides of his face. “More than anything.” he replied, their faces so close that he had to keep his voice quiet. “I love you, more than I ever thought I could love anyone.” he admitted, wiping away a single tear that fell from Leon’s eyes. “I’ll do anything for you, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep your family safe, as long as it means I get to have you again.” 

Leon’s lower lip trembled, and Raihan desperately wanted to kiss it. “Raihan, I…” he trailed, at a loss for words.

“I want to hear you say it.” Raihan spoke firmly, leaning in so close his lips brushed against Leon’s as he spoke. “I want to hear you say you want me. Please.”

Leon exhaled a shaky breath, bringing his trembling hands up to hold Raihan’s face, both men staring at each other, gold meeting teal. “I want you.” he whispered. “I love you.”

Raihan surged forward, pushing Leon to the bed as their lips met in a heated kiss. “I love you.” Raihan murmured against Leon’s lips, holding him close as he slipped his tongue between Leon’s lips, groaning at the feel of kissing Leon again. Leon’s arms wrapped around Raihan’s neck, his legs parting for Raihan to settle between them, wrapping around his waist to keep him close. Raihan nearly lost it at the soft moan coming from Leon. “Say it again.” He mumbled, unable to keep his lips off Leon. “Say you want me.”

Raihan could feel Leon’s smile on his lips. “I want you.” He whispered, one hand reaching up Raihan’s neck, blunt nails scratching the back of his scalp. Raihan tilted his head back, lips parted in a quiet moan as Leon watched him with blazing golden eyes. “Have you thought about me?” He asked, his voice low and deep and _perfect_.

Raihan nodded, leaning into Leon’s gentle scratches. “All the time. Every night. I missed you so bad. Wanted to hear your voice.” He rambled, unable to keep himself composed. This was all he wanted, all he had wanted for four months, and he thought he would never have it. To have Leon with him again made him lose all sense of composure. 

Leon smirked, gently tugging on Raihan’s locs, a strained moan catching in Raihan’s throat. Leon wasn’t the only one who liked to have his hair pulled. “I believe last time we were together you told me you wouldn’t touch me until I could scream your name, right?” Raihan nodded, remembering perfectly, lost in Leon’s touch. Leon’s smirk was devilish now. “I’ve been able to speak for four months, so you have a lot of making up to do.” 

Raihan groaned, leaning back down to kiss Leon again, biting his lower lip to gain some control back. Leon whimpered when Raihan tugged at his lip, causing Raihan to shiver above him at the sound. He waited so long to hear Leon’s moans, and they sounded better than he imagined. “Anything for you.” He stated, his voice low and husky with arousal. “I’ll get on my damn knees and eat you out in front of the entire court if that’s what you want.” 

Leon laughed, the sound of it making Raihan’s heart soar. “You always did have the most wonderful ideas. We’ll do that after you fuck me on the throne.” It was Raihan’s turn to whimper now, and Leon relished in it. “I have one request though.”

“Anything.” Raihan replied quickly, his cock already hard in his trousers. He wasn’t sure how long he would last. It had been so long, and his body was so desperate; he just wanted to hold and love Leon forever. 

“Can I be on top?” Leon asked, sounding completely nonchalant for his request. “I never got to do that before.” 

Raihan groaned loudly, nodding enthusiastically at the visual of Leon riding his cock. He let Leon roll him around on the bed, laying back on the scratchy fabric of the blanket and itchy hay beneath. Leon didn’t seem bothered as he easily straddled Raihan’s waist, reaching up to slip his top off over his head, exposing his tan muscled skin to the dim light of the lantern on the other side of the barn. Raihan’s breath caught. He was beautiful. Raihan couldn’t control his hands as they reached up to touch Leon, to slide along the smooth brown skin, his eyes wide in awe. 

Raihan ignored Leon’s hands on him, urging him to remove his own clothing as Raihan continued to slide his hands up Leon’s torso and chest, one hand squeezing a firm pec, to which Leon chuckled. “Like what you see?” He asked, laughing harder when Raihan nodded dumbly, too awestruck to speak. “I’m glad. I was worried you wouldn’t like me like this, since I was so scrawny before.” He admitted, pushing Raihan’s top up his chest to expose more of his skin.

“You’re beautiful.” Raihan whispered, finally letting go of Leon long enough to let his lover remove his top, throwing it carelessly to the side. 

Leon said nothing, just smiled softly as he leaned down to kiss Raihan, their lips gently sliding together. “You were always so good to me.” He whispered, trailing the tips of his fingers down Raihan’s sides, leaving behind goosebumps on his skin. “I want to do the same for you. Can I do that?” He asked, smiling against Raihan’s lips as he nodded. “Good.”

Raihan tilted his head back as Leon trailed his lips downward, playfully nipping at Raihan’s jaw before licking a long stripe down his neck. Raihan gasped when Leon sucked on a sensitive spot, bringing one hand up to cup the back of Leon’s head, fingers tangling in the soft lavender hair. Leon placed open-mouthed kisses as he continued down Raihan’s body, licking and biting every inch of skin he passed. Raihan exhaled a shaky moan when Leon laved at a dark nipple, flicking his tongue against the hardened bud before gently sucking, kissing his way across Raihan’s chest to give his other nipple the same treatment. Leon would kill Raihan at this point.

“Has anyone ever told you how wonderful you are?” Leon mumbled against Raihan’s skin. Raihan’s eyes screwed shut, his fingers tightening in Leon’s hair as he licked and kissed along his hips. “Because you are,” Leon continued. “you’re perfect. You’re handsome, you’re gentle, you’re kind, you’re the perfect king.” Raihan’s lips parted in a low moan as Leon nuzzled Raihan’s hard length, mouthing at his cock hidden beneath his trousers. Raihan could feel the heat of Leon’s golden eyes on him. “I love you…My King.”

Raihan’s hips bucked, his cock twitching as Leon slid his trousers down his legs, hissing as his cock was exposed to the chilly air in the barn. His cock fell against his stomach, straining and leaking just from the anticipation of being with Leon again. Raihan opened his eyes, needing to watch Leon as he sat up on his elbows, his eyes wild with lust. What a picture they painted: Raihan, King of Hammerlocke, naked and aroused on a bed made of hay while Leon, a peasant farmer from Postwick, was still halfway clothed and in complete control, a devious glint in his eyes as he leaned between Raihan’s legs. If the good people of Hammerlocke could see Raihan now, they would probably drop dead from shock. 

Raihan’s eyes fluttered shut, a low moan escaping him as Leon grasped his cock, flattening his tongue to lick a firm stripe from the base of his cock to the tip, tongue flicking against the slit before Leon wrapped his lips around the head, eagerly sucking the reddened head between his plush lips, lapping it with his tongue. Raihan had one hand in Leon’s hair, tugging the lavender strands tightly between his fingers. Leon moaned when Raihan pulled, his moans vibrating down Raihan’s cock and shooting pulses of pleasure through him. Leon pumped the base of Raihan’s cock in one hand, the other cradling his balls, rolling the heavy sac as he stroked. Leon’s eyes stayed on Raihan, golden eyes burning with lust as he bobbed his head, taking more of Raihan in his mouth with each stroke. Raihan moaned when Leon tongued at the sensitive spot just below the head before licking back up to eagerly suck the beads of precome forming at the tip.

Leon’s hand on his balls moved away, Raihan watching with hooded eyes as Leon’s hands moved down his own body. Although Raihan couldn’t see everything, the movements of his arm and the way Leon’s eyes rolled back as he eagerly sucked his cock told him that Leon was touching himself. Raihan growled, tugging harshly at Leon’s hair as his hips stuttered, fucking Leon’s mouth at the sudden surge of lust at the thought of Leon getting off to sucking him, to making _him_ feel good. Leon whimpered, eyes wide as he mouthed at the tip of Raihan’s cock, his arm moving faster as he rubbed his own clit, a look of desperation painted on his face. 

Raihan’s lip curled, roughly pulling Leon’s hair and lifting him up, Leon letting go of Raihan’s cock with a soft _pop_ , his heavy cock falling back on his stomach as Leon let it fall from his hand. “Baby, I wanna make you feel good, too.” He mumbled, licking his lips at the sight of Leon’s glassy gaze, drunk with lust, his lips shining with Raihan’s precome. “Turn around.” He ordered, motioning with his hands what he wanted Leon to do.

Leon’s eyes lit up with realization, scrabbling on the bed to get his trousers off before moving back over Raihan, turning so he straddled Raihan’s face. Raihan growled at the sight of Leon’s sex, which looked just as perfect as he remembered it. He brought a hand up to Leon’s sex, lazily dragging his fingers between the folds, wet with slick, as Leon whined, grasping Raihan’s cock and stroking the hardened flesh. Leon moaned softly as Raihan slowly rubbed his clit, his hips moving on their own, desperate for Raihan to touch him more. Raihan wrapped his free arm around Leon’s thigh, holding him close as he brought his mouth to Leon’s sex, moaning in satisfaction at the taste. It was just as heavenly as he remembered it.

Leon’s moan was muffled as he wrapped his lips around Raihan’s cock again, his tongue flat along the shaft as he took as much as he could in his mouth, holding what he couldn’t in his hand, which he stroked in rhythm with his mouth. Raihan moaned low in his throat, licking firm strokes against Leon’s clit, gently sucking the hardened nub, relishing in the sound of Leon’s keens and moans. Raihan’s balls were heavy and full, drawing up with every stroke of Leon’s mouth and hands, his tongue sliding along the head with each upward stroke. 

Raihan’s cock fell from Leon’s mouth as he moaned, his eyes closed and his head tilted back when Raihan moved his mouth away from his sex, watching with dark eyes as he slid two fingers inside his dripping cunt. Raihan growled at the feeling of Leon’s tight walls around his fingers, the pads of his fingers rubbing against the spot inside Leon that made him whine and roll his hips against Raihan’s fingers. Raihan’s cock twitched in Leon’s hands at the sound of Leon’s eager moans, wanting to hear more as he thrusted his fingers inside, biting his lip at the sight of Leon’s tight cunt squeezing around his fingers. He almost forgot how amazing it felt to be inside Leon, but now the feeling was amplified by the sound of his moans, crying out for Raihan to give him the pleasure he needed. He removed his fingers and brought his mouth to Leon’s sex again, wanting to taste him on his tongue again, holding Leon’s ass in his hands as his lover ground his hips against his face, gasping and whimpering at Raihan’s ministrations. 

“Raihan, _Raihan_!” Leon cried, and Raihan nearly came at the sound of Leon moaning his name alone. “Please, I need…I wanna…” he whined, firmly stroking Raihan’s cock. 

“ _Say it_.” Raihan growled, his tongue laving along Leon’s clit as he spoke, with Leon jerking at the vibrations.

“Let me…” Leon gasped, his eyes squeezed shut at the immense pleasure Raihan was giving him. “Let me ride you, _please_.”

Raihan scoffed internally. He would be an absolute fool to say no to _that_. He playfully slapped Leon’s ass, smirking at the jolt of Leon’s body when he did so. He would have to keep that in mind for later. “Whatever you want, baby.” He rumbled, helping Leon as he moved to face him, straddling his waist, his cock settled between Leon’s wet folds. 

Leon’s eyes fell heavy as he slowly rubbed along the length of Raihan’s cock, sucking his lower lip into his mouth as he moaned quietly, lost in the pleasure of rubbing his clit against the hard flesh of Raihan’s cock. Raihan moaned low in his throat, gripping Leon’s hips as he watched his lover, nails digging into the soft flesh. “Been wanting you on my cock for so long.” He grumbled, Leon’s glassy golden eyes meeting his dark teal ones. “But now I get to hear you scream for me.” He smirked, his fangs glinting. 

Leon whimpered, reaching down to hold Raihan’s cock in one hand, lifting his hips and positioning himself over his cock, chewing on his lower lip as he slowly slid down, his cunt opening for the head of Raihan’s cock. Both men sighed in relief when Raihan’s cock penetrated his hole, the head sliding into the tight walls that eagerly welcomed him. Raihan hissed at the intense pleasure, tightly gripping Leon’s hips as his head fell back against the bed, his breathing haggard as Leon continued to slide down, his walls twitching as more of Raihan’s cock fit inside. Leon keened high in his throat when all of Raihan was in him, his hole stretched and his walls pulsing around the thick length. “ _Raihan_ ,” he whined. 

“ _Oh_ , baby,” Raihan breathed, lifting his head enough to look up at Leon, who looked like a god in the soft glow of the night, leaning over Raihan with bright golden eyes that were lost in his desire, in _need_. Raihan slid his hands up Leon’s torso to his chest, pinching his pert dark nipples as Leon whined again, back arching into the touch. “you’re amazing.” He whispered, watching with wide eyes as Leon grasped one of his hands, bringing it to his mouth to lick and suck at his fingers. Leon’s eyes rolled back, his hips slowly grinding against Raihan’s cock as he found a rhythm. Raihan gasped at the sight; Leon was too beautiful to comprehend. 

With one hand squeezing his hip, Raihan helped Leon find a rhythm, changing from a slow grind to more purposeful movements, thrusting his hips back and forth as Raihan’s cock rubbed against the sensitive spots within Leon’s walls. Leon kept a firm grip on Raihan’s hand as he moaned and whined around his fingers, eagerly sucking and licking at the digits in his mouth, a dazed-out look in his eyes as he fucked himself on Raihan’s cock. His lids slowly opened to look down at Raihan, whimpering when Raihan thrust his hips up, fucking up into Leon’s tight cunt.

Raihan moved with Leon, following the rhythm he set as he stared up at his lover, wanting to worship Leon forever, wanting to give his life to the god riding his cock. He slid his hand from Leon’s hips down across his body, his fingertips grazing the heated skin as he dipped his fingers between his folds, stroking Leon’s clit. Leon whined, tilting his head back as his hips stuttered, bucking into Raihan’s touch as his walls clenched around Raihan’s cock, causing Raihan to grunt at the sudden immense pleasure. Leon lost the rhythm, mindlessly grinding into Raihan’s touch as he moaned above him, his hole trapping Raihan’s cock in a tight embrace.

“ _Raihan_ ,” Leon whined, sucking Raihan’s fingers into his mouth as his walls pulsed around Raihan’s thick cock. “My King, _please_.” 

What little control Raihan had disappeared at those words.

Leon squeaked in surprise as his back hit the bed, Raihan having rolled them over to where he was on top, leaning over Leon with an intense look in his eyes, his teal eyes hard with lust. Raihan grabbed Leon’s legs, holding the underside of his thighs and pushing them down to Leon’s chest, momentarily grabbing his cock with one hand and roughly sliding back inside in one thrust, causing Leon to gasp out a moan. Raihan held his thighs open as he fucked into him, watching as his cock fucked Leon open, Leon moaning loudly at the new angle. Raihan growled in response, burning gaze flicking up to Leon to watch his lover writhe and squirm with each brutal thrust. 

“You like that?” Raihan grunted, grinding his hips against Leon as he kept his thrusts short and hard, his balls slapping against Leon’s ass with movement. Leon nodded with a whimper, his brows furrowed and his eyes screwed shut as he let Raihan fuck him, taking all the pleasure Raihan had to give to him. “ _Say it_.”

“Yes!” Leon gasped as Raihan dragged his cock along his walls, the blunt cockhead rubbing against his spot with each thrust. “Yes, Raihan!” His moans were unlike anything Raihan imagined, and Raihan wanted nothing more than to keep hearing those moans and whimpers, to let the entire region know that it was _him_ who was making Leon cry out like that. The only man good enough for Leon was the King of Hammerlocke, and Raihan prided himself in that. 

Leon’s voice was beautiful, his moans and whimpers and mewls sounding like a hymn from the heavens, a song made just for Raihan. Splayed out on the bed beneath him, lavender hair fanned around his face, legs spread and open, eagerly taking Raihan’s hard thrusts…. Raihan had never seen anything, anyone, more perfect in his life. Leon’s eyes were screwed shut, his plump lips parted as a chorus of moans escaped him, his hips mindlessly rolling with Raihan’s thrusts as his cunt was fucked open, his walls twitching and tightening around Raihan’s cock with each thrust. The dim light of the lanterns illuminated Leon in a soft orange glow, and when Leon would slowly open his eyes to look up at Raihan with love and adoration, his golden eyes were blazing. Leon whimpered as he looked up at Raihan, his eyes half-lidded and half-focused, fluttering closed as Raihan’s cock rubbed against the sensitive spot within him, unable to control his gasps and cries as Raihan fucked him. Raihan wouldn’t have it any other way.

Raihan leaned forward, lowering his head to be closer to Leon, his cock pistoning into Leon as his lover shook and cried. It was so good, too good as Raihan’s cock pulsed within Leon’s walls, his balls drawn up tight and threatening to release. He wouldn’t last long. Raihan captured Leon’s lips in a hard, heated kiss, gasping and moaning into each other’s mouths as their bodies joined together, as their souls became one.

Leon reached a hand down to rub at his clit, his whines becoming more frantic as Raihan quickened his pace, his body tensing with pleasure. “ _Mmh_! Raihan, I—” Leon cut himself off with a high moan, his hips grinding into Raihan’s, his cunt impossibly tight around Raihan’s cock.

“Yeah,” Raihan growled, nipping at Leon’s lower lip. “Come for me, baby, come on my cock.” He snarled when Leon whined, back arching as his walls twitched around him. Raihan leaned into Leon’s ear, nibbling on the lobe. “Come for your king.”

Leon gasped, his body tensing as his orgasm crested. Raihan watched as Leon twitched, his hips rolling erratically as his walls pulsed around him, coming on Raihan’s cock while moaning and writhing beneath him. Leon’s head tilted back, his eyes squeezed shut as his lips parted to let out the most beautiful moans and cries Raihan had ever heard. Each moan was higher than the last, peaking as his orgasm washed over his body, slumping back onto the bed as his hole twitched around Raihan’s cock. Raihan growled at the feeling, Leon’s cunt milking his cock to orgasm. His hips stilled as he came, thrusting minutely into Leon as his cock spilled inside him, his lips curled in a silent growl as his body came down from its high.

Raihan slumped over Leon, letting go of his thighs as both men panted, both of them sweaty but refusing to break apart. Raihan wrapped his arms around Leon’s waist, burying his face in the crook of his neck, breathing in Leon’s scent. He half expected the chains to still be there, but he was glad they weren’t. He slowly slid his hands down to Leon’s lower back, remembering the tattoo that marked him as a pleasure slave.

“We could probably get this removed.” Raihan grumbled, his voice laced with fatigue. “Maybe Opal could help us, if we can find her again.”

Leon snorted. “I don’t think this counts as pillowtalk, Raihan.” He chuckled, his voice strained and hoarse from moaning so loudly. He wrapped his arms around Raihan’s neck, placing a kiss on the top of his head. “It’s okay, though, don’t worry about it.” He spoke softly. “It’s a reminder of one of the worst times of my life, but without it, I wouldn’t have met you.”

Raihan smiled against Leon’s skin. “Finding the good in everything, huh? That explains how you could love someone like me.” 

Leon hummed, stroking a soft pattern into Raihan’s scalp, smiling when Raihan practically purred at the touch. “Everything about you is good.” He whispered, holding Raihan closer to him. “You keep telling me I’m perfect, but you’re the perfect one.”

Raihan’s cheeks hurt from smiling so much. “Agree to disagree.” He mumbled, nuzzling into Leon’s neck. “I love you.”

Leon kissed the top of his head again. “I love you, too.” Then, with a mischievous smirk. “So you’re just tapping out after one time? What happened to the Raihan who was damn near insatiable?”

Raihan growled playfully, smirking up at Leon as he leaned over him again, capturing his lips in a heated kiss. “I was just giving you a breather before we did it again, but if you’re feeling so eager…” Leon laughed as Raihan lunged at him again, pinning him down to the bed, his fangs glinting in the lantern’s light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Raihan just wants to be told he's good enough, bless him
> 
> Thanks for reading! <3
> 
> Come be my friend on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/sagegallows)!


	10. FINAL

ONE YEAR LATER

“President Lance sent you a letter, Your Majesty.”

“Did he say how the breeding attempts were going?”

“Splendidly, Sire. He says more than a dozen dragon eggs are in nests, and one egg recently hatched. It seems your Charizard is now a father.”

Raihan smiled at the visual of Charizard playing with a little Charmander. The dragon would be a great father. “That’s good to hear. I’m glad we could help.”

“I am, too.” his assistant nodded.

“Any updates on Rose?” Raihan asked.

“I’m afraid not. He probably fled to another region once he realized he would not find refuge in any of the other kingdoms. I’m sure he was quite surprised when he found out you were able to unite the kingdoms in demoting him from lord to peasant.” his assistant chuckled.

Lord Rose of Postwick was no more; now he was just a simple peasant man with nothing to his name. Once Raihan explained to the other kingdoms of Rose’s treatment of Leon and his assassination attempt, the other kingdoms agreed in stripping Rose of all titles and lands. Raihan had Rose’s land divided amongst the farming families who previously leased it, and all kingdoms agreed to respect the new ownership. Leon’s family now owned their land, and Raihan did as he promised and hired farmers to help Leon’s mother and Hop on their farm. As for Rose, his whereabouts were still unknown, but Raihan didn’t mind if he never had to see the greasy bastard again, even if he had Rose to thank for bringing Leon into his life.

_ Silver lining, I suppose.  _ Raihan mused to himself as he stood from his desk, looking out the window to see the sun setting. “Are there any other pressing issues I need to address today?” he asked, looking back at his assistant.

His assistant shook his head. “Nothing too urgent, Sire.” he said, but then his eyes lit up as he remembered something. “Ah, but you do have a meeting with King Kabu tomorrow about the upcoming harvest. I do recommend getting your sleep, as you know King Kabu is quite…exuberant.”

Raihan snorted. “That’s one way to put it.” he made his way for the door. “Make sure no one comes into the royal wing tonight. I am not to be disturbed.” he ordered.

His assistant nodded, a knowing look on his face as he bowed politely. “Of course, Sire. Enjoy your evening.”

ꭥꭥꭥꭥ

There was a room in the royal wing that very few knew existed. It used to be a small prayer room for the royal family so they could worship in peace, but it hadn’t been used for worship in generations. Instead, it now held a different purpose. Raihan only knew about it because his father told him, stating that he would only use that room once in his life if fate was kind to him. His father only used the room once, and so did his father before him, and so on and so forth. Fate had been kind to Raihan, and he could finally step foot into the room forgotten by those outside of the royal family. The room required no more than those needed, and what went on in that room required no witnesses, no officials, and no nobles. 

Raihan slowly opened the door, entering the small room. A single statue of Arceus stood on the other side of the room, with no other decoration besides a few candles and two cushions on the floor in front of the statue. There was also a tablet at Arceus’ feet with inscription etched in the stone. One cushion was already occupied, the person kneeling in silent prayer to the statue. Raihan smiled at the sight of Leon as he ended his prayer, sitting back on his knees on the cushion as he waited for Raihan. “Do we have his blessing?” he asked as he entered the room, startling Leon by his sudden presence.

Leon turned to smile fondly at Raihan, and Raihan felt his heart skip a beat. He wasn’t sure he would ever get over how beautiful Leon was. “Well, the sky hasn’t fallen yet, so I suppose we do.” he chuckled as Raihan walked to the statue, kneeling on the empty cushion as they both sat before Arceus. Leon looked up at the statue, an uncertain look on his face. “Are you sure this is okay?” he whispered.

Raihan reached over to grasp Leon’s hand, lacing their fingers together. “I’m the king, I can do whatever I want.” he chuckled, squeezing Leon’s hand reassuringly.

Leon smirked, glancing over at Raihan. “That won’t stop the backlash from the nobles, though. And possibly other kingdoms.” 

“Fuck ‘em.” Raihan shrugged nonchalantly. His time with Leon allowed him to grow into his role as king, and he was bitterly referred to as a “liberal king” by the nobles because he refused to kiss their asses. Raihan knew there were many nobles who disliked his new laws and reforms pertaining peasants, and he knew that the nobles looked upon him with wary eyes for his “favoritism” towards peasants, but Raihan found that he didn’t care what the nobles thought. He cared for the good of Hammerlocke, and if that meant stepping on some noble toes, then so be it. He never would have gained the courage to stand up to his court and the nobles had it not been for Leon. He would forever be grateful for the farmer from Postwick. “They’re gonna complain no matter what I do. I’m a good king to my people, and that’s all that matters.”

Leon smiled softly. “That you are, My King.”

Raihan smiled back, amazed that such a wonderful man had come to love him. He turned in his seat to face Leon, and Leon did the same. “Are you ready?” he asked, keeping his voice quiet in this sacred room.

Leon nodded. “Ready when you are.”

Raihan couldn’t stop smiling, holding both of Leon’s hands in his own, their fingers laced tightly together as they looked into each other’s eyes. Leon’s golden eyes held so much love in them, and Raihan could only hope that his gaze showed how much he loved Leon in return. “I just wish I could have you be of equal status to me, but I think that would push the nobles over the edge.” he chuckled.

Leon laughed. “Yes, they’re already going to faint when they find out a peasant has been made the king’s consort, best not to kill them by making me a king alongside you.” 

“You won’t be the first peasant to wed the king. I looked it up; there was a king from long ago who married a serving girl.” Raihan stated. “We’ll use their marriage as collateral should anyone try to fight us.”

“There will be many who won’t be happy with this.” Leon stated, and Raihan knew it was the truth. “But I’m just happy to be with you.”

Raihan beamed at Leon, his beloved. “I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you by my side, I promise.” Leon nodded in understanding, and Raihan took in a deep breath. They couldn’t waste anymore time. “Alright,” he breathed. “let’s do this.”

Under the watchful eyes of Arceus, Raihan tightly gripped Leon’s hands in his own, and Leon smiled reassuringly at him. “I, King Raihan of Hammerlocke, bearer of the Hammerlocke crown, promise myself to you, Leon of Postwick, for as long as I live, and forever after. I will bond myself to you, and I will remain faithful to you, and only you. From this day forward, my body, my mind, and my soul belongs to you, Leon of Postwick.”

Leon smiled as Raihan stopped speaking. “I, Leon of Postwick, promise myself to you, King Raihan of Hammerlocke, for as long as I live, and forever after. I will bond myself to you, and I will remain faithful to you, and only you. From this day forward, my body, my mind, and my soul belongs to you, King Raihan of Hammerlocke.” he squeezed Raihan’s hands.

Raihan nodded, his heart soaring with happiness. “Let it be said that I, King Raihan of Hammerlocke, hereby declare you, Leon of Postwick, of new title and name. From now on you will be Prince Consort Leon of Hammerlocke, wed to King Raihan of Hammerlocke. Do you accept this title?” he knew the answer, but he still felt his heart race as he waited for Leon to respond.

Leon smiled softly, his golden eyes gentle in the flickering light of the surrounding candles. “I do.” he whispered.

Raihan wanted to end the ceremony there and lunge himself at Leon, but he had to continue. He reached into his coat and brought out a dagger he found in the royal family library. It was a sword gifted to the first King of Hammerlocke by the dragons he tamed, and it was made of a metal so strong and powerful that it could break through anything, such as a stone tablet. Raihan was grateful he remembered where his father told him the dagger was, and what its intended purpose was. Raihan and Leon moved to face the statue again, bowing deeply to the statue of Arceus before Raihan reached for the stone tablet. Slowly, he etched his name into the tablet, gazing upon the other signatures before him of past kings who swore their hearts to their significant others. Raihan felt his throat tighten as he signed his name beneath his father’s, who, just as he was doing now, swore to love and adore his mother until the end of their days. He hoped his parents, wherever they were, were proud of the man he had become, and he hoped they knew that Leon played a monumental part in that.

Raihan handed the dagger to Leon, who took it in a firm grip. Since their return from Postwick, Leon had been working tirelessly with teachers on how to learn to read and write, and this would be the first time Leon wrote on anything other than simple parchment paper. Raihan watched with a warm smile as Leon scrawled his name next to Raihan’s, his handwriting blocky and juvenile, but it was a testament to how far they had come. Leon returned the dagger back to Raihan, who put it back in his coat before they bowed to the statue again.

With their names etched in the stone, their union was now legitimate in the eyes of Arceus, and no one could take that away from them. Tradition dictated that, once their union recorded in the stone, it was permanent, and no one could try to nullify it no matter how powerful they were. They both said a silent prayer to Arceus, or whatever god may be listening, that no one would come between them.

When they both rose from their bows, they looked at each other with soft smiles on their faces. Raihan couldn’t wait anymore. Leon laughed as Raihan tackled him to the ground, pushing their bodies together as their lips met, both of them smiling and laughing into the kiss as they tightly embraced one another. Leon had his arms wrapped around Raihan’s neck, and his legs wrapped around his waist, keeping Raihan close to him as their tongues slid gently together, their tongues gliding as they both sighed in content. 

“I love you.” Raihan whispered against Leon’s lips, feeling tears well up in his eyes. He didn’t care if he cried in front of Leon. He knew Leon would never judge him for showing his emotions, not like others would. When he was with Leon, he wasn’t a king, he was just Raihan.

“I love you, too.” Leon smiled, cupping the back of Raihan’s head to bring their lips together once more.

“Forever?” Raihan murmured, pulling back from the kiss to look down at Leon, at his beautiful face and soulful eyes.

“Forever.” Leon’s golden eyes were shining with love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And they all lived happily ever after :')
> 
> Thank you SO much to those of you who made it this far! And a big thank you to everyone who left kudos and comments, your kind words mean the world to me! I have other fics in progress, so I would really appreciate it if you kept an eye out for those :)
> 
> Once again, thanks for reading! <3
> 
> Come be my friend on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/sagegallows)!


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